Updates and news from the game
United made the short trip across the border on Friday night to face Annan Athletic in their latest pre-season friendly.Athletic – Arthur (Mitchell 46), Black (McCrudden 87), Bradley, Watson, Swinglehurst, Sloan (Graham 76), Love (Thorburn 62), Moffat, Weatherstone, Mackay, Trialist (Chan 88). Subs – Wood, McAnespie, Caldwell, Woolnough.
Goals – Mackay (7, 10)
United – Brass, Gwinnutt (Thomson 46), Chisholm, Edwards (Kavanagh 46), Brough, Deacey, Hammell (Dempsey 46), Guy (Wallace 46), Symington, Salmon, Beck. Subs – Eccles, Marshall, Hodgson.
Goals – Edwards (26)
+++++++
4 mins – Brough pulled the Annan trialist to the floor on the edge of the box and Weatherstone went for glory with a low shot underneath the wall. Brass dived low to get a vital touch which diverted the ball away.
7 mins – A ball from deep put Mackay through on goal and his initial shot brought a parried save from Brass. Chisholm and Gwinnutt moved quickly to mop up the pieces but Kenny Mackay was quick off the mark to smash the rebound into the back of the net.
10 mins – A ball into the box from Love spooned off the defender and invited Kenny Mackay to make a run. Brass was committed as the ball dropped out of the air and the lively forward grabbed his second of the night with a neat header into the bottom corner.
11 mins – Annan’s livewire trialist left winger exchanged passes in midfield then cut inside to unleash a powerful shot. Brass was beaten but relieved to see it bounce back off his upright.
12 mins – United broke quickly and Dave Symington ran from deep to create space for a shot. Arthur watched it all the way and beat it away as it angled for his top corner.
17 mins – Mackay made himself available for a 24-yard free kick as he went in search of his hat-trick but Brass was in the right place to drop low and gather.
23 mins – Bradley and Love made life hard for the United defence and a miscued clearance from Brough as the cross came in set Mackay up for the volley. Confusion reigned from the resulting corner and it needed a clearance off the line as Moffat tried to stab the ball through the gaggle of bodies.
25 mins – Symington crossed from deep and Swinglehurst puffed his cheeks in relief as his involuntary header squeezed just past the post.
26 mins – Chisholm recovered the deep corner delivery and good work from Hammell left Annan struggling to clear. Mike Edwards kept his eye on the ball and brought United back into the game with a sweetly struck volley.
30 mins – Lewis Guy did all the hard work as he weaved his way from midfield into a shooting position. Arthur threw a hand out and made a perfect save to thwart the striker.
32 mins – Another dangerous Bradley cross was hooked over the bar by Chisholm and Sloan swung an unstoppable corner at the near post. Swinglehurst got there but he couldn’t keep his header down and it fizzed over the bar.
38 mins – Dave Symington volleyed a Gwinnutt cross back across the face of goal but Arthur showed safe hands when he dived to make the save.
39 mins – A deflected long range shot from Symington brought a corner and Edwards went close to his second of the evening when he rose high to crunch a header over the bar.
43 mins – Gwinnutt was penalised for a tug in the area but Kenny Mackay was denied his hat-trick by a fine save from Lewis Brass.
44 mins – A great pass from Guy released Symington but he opted for an early rasper from the edge of the are which flew just wide of the target.
Half time: Annan 2 – 1 United
50 mins – A Symington free kick from wide was half cleared and Patrick Brough took a touch to set himself up for a volley. He caught it well but it shaved the post on its way behind to safety.
51 mins – Mackay chased a ball over the top and Brass had to brave to make the block as he tried to touch it round the keeper.
52 to 62 mins – The ball spent a lot of time in midfield as both sides battled for supremacy.
65 mins – Dempsey split the defence with a fine pass and Thomson almost burst through on goal as he chested it down. Mitchell came quickly off his line to smother the danger.
68 mins – Brought curled the ball into the box but Salmon was under pressure and he sent his header well wide.
72 mins – Dempsey picked another great pass for Thomson to run onto but a combination of keeper and defender relieved the pressure.
74 mins – Wallace won the ball in midfield and fed Salmon onto the overlap. His cross was nodded back across goal by Wallace and a mishit from Deacey eventually broke for another cross. Beck jumped but he couldn’t guide his header in.
84 mins – Deacey let fly from 25 yards with a stinging drive but Mitchell was happy to watch it on its way.
90 mins – The last action of the game was an Annan free kick which Bradley thumped right at the keeper.