Dundee United emphatically ended their Gretna hoodoo to put the pressure on Motherwell in the race for third place in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

The recalled Garry Kenneth headed Dundee United into the lead in the 16th minute and Morgaro Gomis and David Robertson sealed an easy win after the interval.

Gretna had beaten United twice this season but rarely threatened as Craig Levein's men moved a point behind Well in the chase for a UEFA Cup spot.

After four successive SPL draws, the visitors made five changes - bringing in Christian Kalvenes, Jim O' Brien, Prince Buaben, Kenneth and Robertson.

Mark De Vries, Danny Grainger, and Danny Swanson dropped out alongside Mark Kerr and Lee Wilkie, who had both been struggling with injury.

The bottom club were unchanged from the side which beat Kilmarnock 4-2 last week, when they produced a surprise response to Kenny Deuchar's exit to Real Salt Lake.

But they missed the presence of their top scorer against United, who scored from the first piece of goalmouth action in the 15th minute.

Greg Fleming could not hold O'Brien's corner and Kenneth nodded home after an initial shot had come off the bar via the head of Kalvenes.

Gretna won their first corner midway through the half but Lukasz Zaluska looked to have covered a header from Chris Innes, which looped just wide.

Robertson should have put United further ahead but he volleyed over from six yards following a Kalvenes cross.

Gretna improved their possession on a pitch which had recovered well from two postponements inside a week but strikers Mikael Buscher and John-Paul Kissock offered little up front.

Buscher wasted a chance to put United under pressure when he overhit a free-kick 30 yards out on the touchline.

And Fleming kept the hosts in the game when he pushed wide Noel Hunt's low effort following a driven cross by Kalvenes.

Gretna brought on Paul Murray and Aurelien Collin at half-time for Kissock and Nicky Deverdics.

Gavin Skelton came close to the equaliser in the 51st minute when his low shot from 15 yards was blocked by Zaluska following Rhys Meynell's cross.

But United went straight up the park and scored as Gomis placed Hunt's cutback into the bottom corner after the unmarked O'Brien had taken a fresh-air swing.

A backtracking Fleming pushed Sean Dillon's over-hit cross on to the post as United threatened to put the game beyond the Borderers.

O'Brien was booked for diving before Gretna almost earned a lifeline when McGill beat Zaluska to a loose ball on the edge of the box.

However the winger's shot drifted away from goal and United again broke quickly. Danny Hall saved the hosts by clearing from the goalmouth after Fleming had parried Robertson's cross.

The third goal was coming though, and Robertson provided it in the 64th minute when he beat the offside trap to side-foot home a Kalvenes cross.

Another deep cross, this time by Willo Flood, hit the post with Fleming beaten.

United seemed to settle for three, although Hunt cut inside and shot over and Darren Dods twice came close following set-pieces.

Gretna looked a dispirited side in the closing stages as they stay 11 points behind St Mirren, who they play at Fir Park next week.

Teams:

Gretna Fleming, Barr, Meynell, Innes, Naughton, McGill, Hall,Skelton, Deverdics (Murray 46), Kissock (Collin 46),Buscher (Wilkinson 77).

Subs Not Used: Krysiak, Makinwa, Baldacchino, Griffiths.

Booked: Innes.

Dundee Utd Zaluska, Dillon, Kenneth, Dods, Kalvenes,Robertson, Gomis, Buaben, Flood (Kerr 84), Hunt (Odhiambo 88),O'Brien (Conway 73).

Subs Not Used: McLean, Grainger, De Vries, Swanson.

Booked: O'Brien.

Goals: Kenneth 16, Gomis 51, Robertson 64.

Att: 507

Ref: B Winter (Scotland).

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