Late winner for United

A lot happened ahead of this one. David Wotherspoon will sign for United shortly and didn't feature for either side tonight. New signing, centre back James Carragher started. Released today, Sean Welsh has left Inverness with immediate effect and will be moving to Queens Park having played a total of 143 games, scoring 16 goals. Defender Zak Delaney has also left. Harry Hennem has departed as well. Lewis Hyde has gone to Brora on loan for the rest of the season. United added Alex Greive from St Mirren to their squad this week and he starts tonight. Craig Sibbald is suspended after his 88th minute red card against Morton. Archie Meekison made the bench but Declan Gallagher and Ross Docherty will miss out. Louis Moult who was a doubt missed out altogether. A late Tony Watt tap-in ruined all of Inverness' good work and United take the three points to go back on top of the table overnight at least.

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Inverness set the ball rolling kicking towards the South Stand housing the United fans. It was a more than cagey opening fifteen with Inverness in no hurry to leave their own half of the pitch, opting for the sideways movement instead which made for a ponderous start to the game. Midway through the first half and surely one of the most boring games ever televised with Inverness going sideways and United unable to break the hosts down. On cue, twenty-five minutes in, a wee foray forward for Inverness ended with Billy Mckay winning a corner after his effort was deflected wide. A second corner led to the ball being headed clear off the United line by Jordan Tillson when Danny Devine met Cammy Harper's corner, the keeper well beaten. A David Carson ball into the box found Luis Longstaff but he was shut down by the time he got his shot away and the chance was gone. Glen Middleton took a knock as the ball was crossed in but continued after lengthy treatment. Another ball into the box fell to Mckay but the sting was taken out of the strike enough for Walton to gather the blocked shot. Tony Watt was looking for a penalty as he landed on the turf but Alan Muir was not interested and giving a goal kick as the ball bounced over the line. Good Inverness pressure just before the break but it ended all square at the interval with the hosts seeing the better of the possession and United offering nothing so far.

HALF TIME: 0-0

Rain met the sides after the break and five minutes in Watt headed over at the far side of the box. A well worked move saw Carson find Max Anderson in the box and his low effort was well saved by Walton, Charlie Gilmour's follow up shot from the recycled ball was sliced well wide. United were showing a bit more intent after the interval although in truth play was still a tad untidy. United had their best opportunity of the game as they worked an opening for substitute Archie Meekison but Ridgers was able to hold his low volley well on the greasy surface. Possession had evened out now with fifteen minutes left. Out of nothing with Inverness failing to retain the ball for any length of time a deflected cross from the left made it's way to Watt for a tap in. Minutes later substitute Cillian Sheridan failed to connect with a Harper cross when he looked favourite to get his head on the ball. Inverness were denied what looked like a penalty as Grimshaw handled in his own box. A late flurry from Inverness came to nothing and it was a disappointing result at the end of the night where United were there for the taking.

FULL TIME: 0-1

Inverness manager Duncan Ferguson told BBC Scotland: "I thought the first half we were the better team. "We could have maybe gone one-up. In the second half we didn't do as well, Dundee United pushed the play without really creating anything."I think everybody saw in the stadium the big moment - but the referee never made the decision."

Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin: "I think there will be people writing into the BBC looking for their licence fee back after that performance. "It was a really poor game of football. I am not making excuses but we have a lot of players struggling with knocks. I think we are very lucky to have won the game. "I am not going to stand here and say we deserved it but throughout the course of the league campaign you are going to get games like that. "It was not pretty but sometimes the result is worth more than the performance and I think tonight was one of those. It is a huge three points." On the handball claim at the end, Goodwin added: "We were denied a stonewall penalty last weekend but tonight we probably got away with one."

Tony Watt at the back post!

With minutes to go, the Dundee United skipper finally breaks the deadlock in Inverness!#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/YmFZofIfMq

— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) January 12, 2024

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