Dundee United loss frustrates manager Jackie McNamara

Iain Vigurs' winning goal took a slight deflection off defender Jaroslaw Fojut

Dundee United manager Jackie McNamara was left to rue a series of missed chances during the first half of a 1-0 defeat at Motherwell.

The visitors dominated much of the play before the interval only to lose out to an Iain Vigurs strike on 52 minutes.

"It's a frustrating night, but I'm happy with the way we played," said McNamara.

"I said to the lads there is nothing to be down about. On another night, we would have had the game wrapped up by half time."

With Aidan Connolly, Chris Erskine, Ryan Down and Blair Spittal all lively in the opening 45 minutes, United got in behind the managerless hosts on several occasions but could not find a way past Dan Twardzik.

And Conor Townsend missed two good headed chances in the second half as McNamara's team chased an equaliser.

"First half, we were excellent. We looked a real threat going forward," the manager told BBC Radio Scotland.

"We should possibly have been better with our finishing, but I can't fault the way we played."

McNamara thought play should have been stopped for an infringement in the build up to the game's only goal, which came via slight deflection off Jaroslaw Fojut.

"They had a big hit up the park, which I thought was a foul for us with (John) Sutton and they get the break and it gets a deflection past Rado (Radoslaw Cierzniak).

"I'm really disappointed with some of the things which went against us, with offsides and the challenges that went in.

"The challenge on Ryan Dow near the end when we were breaking away. He (referee Steven McLean) stops the game when he should have let it flow and then doesn't do anything about a bad challenge."