Dundee Untied's Emmanuel Adeboyega celebrates as he scores to make it 2-0SNS

Dundee United's Emmanuel Adeboyega celebrates making it 2-0

Jack Herrall
BBC Sport Scotland

Dundee United scored twice in a frenzied finale at Tannadice to "win ugly" against St Mirren and go level on points with third-place Rangers in the Scottish Premiership.

Kevin Holt scored a penalty opener - awarded after VAR intervention - then missed from the spot before Emmanuel Adegboyega poked in a second for Jim Goodwin's side in injury time.

St Mirren stay sixth after a first defeat in five.

United manager Jim Goodwin said: "We are really pleased with the scoreline, there wasn't too much in the game and it was scrappy. But sometimes you have to win ugly.

"We have played St Mirren three times and have kept three clean sheets, which is a testament to the players at the back because they put you under a lot of pressure."

St Mirren had the better of the opening stages but the hosts had the best opportunity when Sam Dalby was one-on-one, only to blast over the bar.

A crunching challenge from home goalkeeper Jack Walton on Toyosi Olusanya outside the area resulted in a yellow card for the Luton Town loanee, with a VAR check confirming the on-field decision.

VAR was again needed to confirm referee Matthew McDermid’s on-field call for no penalty despite the ball appearing to strike Adegboyega's arm as it was knocked out for a corner.

Ryan Strain whizzed a free-kick narrowly past the post before United team-mate Will Ferry struck the upright with from the edge of the area as the opening half ended with neither side registering a shot on target.

United kept probing and Holt shot wide before Adegboyega glanced a near-post header beyond the far post.

Olusanya's effort for the visitors was deflected off target before Holt won and scored his first penalty as Marcus Fraser caught him.

Fraser then gave away another spot-kick for a challenge on Louis Moult, with the St Mirren defender shown a red card after the referee consulted the pitch-side monitor, but Holt's effort was saved.

Adegboyega reacted first when Ellery Balcombe spilled his attempted catch from a stoppage-time corner, nudging the ball over the line to make sure of the three points.

Resolute United stay focused until the end

United have perhaps been the league's surprise package this season, sitting comfortably in the top half.

However, St Mirren matched them with both sides cancelling one another out for most of the game.

Dalby and Ferry appear to be operating on the same frequency, with a few pieces of link-up impressing.

Goodwin's men have the third best defensive record in the league too, and looked resolute again against an imposing visiting side.

Their determination to keep attacking in the final stages, and stop St Mirren from finding an equaliser, was impressive.

Blunt Buddies unable to find clinical touch

This performance can still serve as encouragement for the visitors.

Stephen Robinson spoke pre-match about it being "refreshing" that he could name the same starting XI for back-to-back games and they benefitted early on.

St Mirren often had periods of sustained possession but failed to carve out any clear-cut chances of note.

Their attacking play often looked blunt in key stages, with over 100 final-third entries but only one shot on target to show for it.

The Paisley men have now failed to score in five of their 15 league games, with only Ross County drawing a blank more often.

What they said

'Delighted to grind out result' - Dundee United manager Goodwin

Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin: "We're really pleased to win the game, obviously. Another important three points, clean sheet and really good victory against a very difficult opponent.."

St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson: "We've won games and got points when we've played a lot worse than that, let's put it like that.

"There were very good aspects of our play, but credit to Dundee United, they defended their box brilliantly well. I thought Declan Gallagher was outstanding."

Fraser red card 'hard to take' - St Mirren boss Robinson

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