Source: PA
Houston sorry for fans
Dundee United manager Peter Houston felt sorry for the watching supporters after admitting his side's goalless stalemate with St Johnstone had been blighted by a fear factor stemming from a dire McDiarmid Park pitch.
Chances fell to both teams during a largely drab Tayside derby that only briefly flickered to life during a second-half that fell short on entertainment but was still a huge improvement on a dismal first 45 minutes.
Houston said: "The biggest thing for both teams was not losing and there was a wee fear of losing. Both teams try to get the ball down and pass it but it could have caused a bobble that set somebody up and I think there was a fear of losing the game in your own half.
"And I felt both teams played too many long balls, and neither team normally tries to play like that. I feel sorry for the punters because they pay good money but I don't blame the teams or the managers. You're out there trying to get as many points as you can to get into the top six.
"But I was telling my players to turn them in behind and try and get mistakes from their centre-backs and that's what St Johnstone did as well. It wasn't rocket science that both managers thought a mistake could win or lose the game.
"I'd love to be playing decent football because United play decent football - and so do St Johnstone - but it couldn't have been that great for the punters."
