THERE was a Barry Robson-shaped hole at the heart of Dundee United's best efforts yesterday, and arguably his absence was felt throughout a stodgy game of football.
Back in late August, the then-Tannadice talisman had scored twice and dictated
in a crushing 3-0 win at this venue, but there was never going to be a repeat six months on. Caley Thistle were the side who left the ground aggrieved, albeit having snuck back into sixth place at Aberdeen's expense.
United, with a win, two draws and a defeat now since Robson's £1million-plus move to Celtic, lacked invention and guile, and were left to stifle and close down rather than create.
In the event, though, a fortuitous Prince Buaben deflected goal gave the Tayside contingent flickering hope of further ground in the race for UEFA Cup place only for a late Markus Paatelainen strike to beat them down to fourth below Motherwell.
With a 3-0 beating here by United on August 25 fresh in the mind, Caley Thistle dominated early possession. The first glimmer of a gap in a hard-working United defence came after six minutes. Dougie Imrie, a £50,000 capture from Clyde, was making his first start for the Highlanders and slipped Don Cowie free to the right of the box.
From inside the angle of the penalty area, Cowie lashed his shot well wide of the left hand post.
Imrie was one showing a neat touch and trying to inject something different. Good interplay between him and Cowie after 15 minutes created space for Russell Duncan, but he was wild from 20 yards.
United's first attempt on goal took 26 minutes with Michael Fraser dealing comfortably with Prince Buaben's ambitious effort.
Buaben looked another capable of injecting class and carved a rare opening for United four minutes before the break. Stepping inside Ian Black and cutting across the outside of the box, the Ghanaian midfielder's 20-yard strike drew a fine save down low from Michael Fraser.
Craig Levein's frustration with his side's first half ineffectiveness was perhaps reflected in the removal of Mark de Vries for Noel Hunt. Little changed in terms of entertainment, though, with Caley Thistle continuing to hold sway.
Imrie twice threatened to ignite the game, firstly shimmying into space to send the ball in from the right. Roy McBain sent the ball back across goal but it wouldn't sit down for Imrie as he went to shoot.
After 66 minutes, the player who was starring in the junior ranks just two years ago was at it again. Selling the struggling Danny Grainger a dummy he sped into space but his meek delivery flew straight into Zaluska's arms.
United, against the run of play, took the lead after 68 minutes. Fittingly, the goal fell to one of their best performers, Buaben, albeit he knew very little about it. Noel Hunt's pop at goal from outside the box skidded off Buaben's legs from six yards out, flummoxing Michael Fraser and sending the Tannadice men ahead.
The frustrated Marius Niculae was removed in favour of equally imposing Graham Bayne and his rocketed volley forced a full-stretch Zaluska save after 71 minutes, with McBain then shooting at Zaluska when clean through after 78 minutes.
Caley's equaliser did arrive with six minutes left. Bayne went for McBain's cross from the right but missed it, only for substitute Markus Paatelainen, just four minutes on the field, to thrash the ball home at the far post.
The full article contains 597 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
