Dundee United 1-2 St Johnstone: Mark Birighitti mistake gifts visitors win
- Published
'It's a nightmare. He's just got to clear it'
Dundee United head coach Liam Fox refused to single out Mark Birighitti after his grotesque error against St Johnstone kept Dundee United bottom of the Scottish Premiership.
Just a minute after Dylan Levitt's fine strike had cancelled out Stevie May's first-half volley, the goalkeeper dwelled on a Charlie Mulgrew back pass and was charged down by the alert May.
Birighitti went off injured in the immediate aftermath and St Johnstone saw out the final few minutes to move 10 points clear of United.
The defeat - a fifth in a row - heightens the pressure on Fox, whose side stay a point behind Ross County and three adrift of Kilmarnock and Motherwell, albeit with a game in hand.
"It was a real sore one to take," he told BBC Scotland. "I think the players worked exceptionally hard to get back into the game, then we basically throw the point away. It was the wrong decision and were punished for it."
Jubilant scenes have been fleeting at Tannadice this season, but pre-match celebrations remembering the good old days of 1983 - when Dundee United won their sole league title - allowed fans to express some exuberance.
The current United crop appeared inspired by the legends who graced the pitch before them. Steven Fletcher attempted an ambitious effort almost immediately, before he skewed some more straightforward attempts on goal.
The returning Aziz Behich and youngster Kai Fotheringham on his first start added to the pack of misses, which the hosts were promptly left to rue as May dealt a sucker punch.
St Johnstone had barely ventured into their attacking quarter when Melker Hallberg broke into space and whipped in a neat ball for May to connect with on the volley and flash into the middle of the unconvincing Birighitti's goal.
There may have been cheers prior to kick-off, but at half-time jeers rung around the ground and will have met the ears of owner Mark Ogren, who had flown over from America.
The openness of the contest continued after the break, but so did United's inability to have something to show for their possession.
Nicky Clark stung the palms of his former team-mate Birighitti as St Johnstone routinely looked hungry on the counter, following Daniel Phillips' goalline clearance after a scrappy scramble.
Levitt appeared to have snatched United a precious point with a pin-point strike from distance, but Callum Davidson's side promptly restored their lead.
Birighitti, in comfortable possession, passed the ball out to Charlie Mulgrew at the edge of the area. The defender shunted it back to his goalkeeper, who took too heavy a touch. The alert May was upon him in an instance, sliding in to force the ball into the net and leave the goalkeeper sprawling and United facing yet another defeat.
Player of the Match - Stevie May (St Johnstone)
He may not have had much of the general play, but St Johnstone fans won't care a jot. As Stevie May at his best always is, the striker was in the right place at the right time to secure victory.
United fail to make pressure pay - analysis
While the league winners of 40 years ago were lauded around Tannadice, the current crew further jeopardised their top-flight status.
In the opening stages, it looked as though the United players had were ready to rise to the celebratory atmosphere in the name of Tangerine heroes gone by.
A switch to 4-3-3 breathed new life into a side who looked woeful last weekend. Despite increased levels of technicality and tenacity, they never truly troubled Remi Matthews in the St Johnstone goal for large periods of the game.
In the situation they are in, the last thing they need is a goalkeeping howler, but Birighitti's decision to take an extra touch despite the presence of an onrushing May sucked the life out a Tannadice buoyed by Levitt's stunner.
For St Johnstone, that second goal almost exemplified their performance. Fortunate in a sense, but more importantly, full of determination and intelligence.
Andy Considine's absence didn't disrupt a backline that seemingly relished the early United pressure. Every ball into the box was headed away with confidence. Every loose ball was blasted up the park with authority.
In the middle, Cammy MacPherson ran his socks off, while also providing moments of much-needed control when his side were in need of reprieve.
What the manager said
Dundee United manager Liam Fox: "We're all a bit sore, but that's where we are. We understand we're in a difficult situation with the run of results, but we're still fighting. We've got some huge games coming up.
"Just because things get a wee bit difficult, that's when people stand up, and that's what I'll be doing."
St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson: "What a team performance. They didn't give up, and Stevie May epitomised that with the second goal. I knew we were in a good place and this is a real feelgood factor.
"At the moment, we need to figure out how to perform better at home. The system we play works away from home."
What's next?
The huge games keep coming for United, as a basement battle up at Ross County lies ahead next Saturday. For St Johnstone, they welcome fellow St Mirren to McDiarmid Park (both 15:00 GMT).