Spot-kick disappointment for Caley Thistle as Dundee United nick bonus point
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MISSED penalties from Greg Tansey and Ross Draper saw Dundee United steal a bonus point after a 1-1 draw with Caley Thistle in the Betfred Cup.
Championship side United netted all their spot kicks as Draper and Tansey both saw efforts saved by Cammy Bell.
The result was harsh on Caley Thistle, who had taken the lead in the first half through Scott Boden. Stewart Murdoch levelled superbly at the start of the second before penalties earned the visitors an extra point.
United stay top of the group on seven points and Inverness in third, with a key game against Dunfermline to come on Tuesday.
Neither side were fashioning a great deal of opportunities in this early-season encounter but Caley Thistle, who handed a first start to young goalkeeper Cammy Mackay, were in control of the tempo of the game.
Liam Polworth volleyed a Billy King cross over the bar in the best of the chances while a Paul Dixon cross, which flashed across the face of goal, was the closest United came to testing 20-year-old Mackay.
The visiting Arabs saw several shots blocked by flying blue-and-red shirts, with Kevin McNaughton and Tansey both preventing goal-bound shots from testing Mackay.
Caley Thistle's dominance in possession was rewarded in the 35th minute when Boden showed his penalty-box credentials, stealing in to head Gary Warren's flick past Bell.
Polworth dragged a further shot wide before the break as the more expansive Inverness side than the one seen under John Hughes seemed more willing to take attacking risks.
Former Ross County man Murdoch marked his treturn to the Highlands with a spectacular goal 32 seconds into the second half, dispatching Simon Murray's pull-back expertly.
Boden blew a chance to double his tally on the hour, blazing wide from Polworth's pass, while a late free-kick from Tansey brought a smart stop out of Bell.
Carl Tremarco and Tope Obadeyi scored their penalties but misses from Tansey and Draper, coupled with goals from Coll Donaldson and Murdoch, gave Murray the chance to seal a 4-1 spot-kick win, which he duly supplied.
CALEY THISTLE: Mackay; Raven, Warren, McNaughton, Tremarco, Draper, Tansey, King, Vigurs (Mulraney, 59), Polworth, Boden (Fisher, 85). Subs unused: Fon Williams, Brown, Horner, Sutherland. Booked: Draper.
DUNDEE UNITED: Bell; Donaldson, Toshney, Durnan, Dixon (Dillon, 46), Murdoch, Flood, Smith, Spittal (Obadeyi, 67), Murray, Van Der Velden (Anier, 78). Subs unused: Zwick, Fraser, Telfer, Souttar. Booked: Van Der Velden, Durnan, Obadeyi.
Attendance: 1839.
Referee: E. Anderson.
