Jim Goodwin is satisfied Dundee United have the ‘guts’ for a gruelling relegation scrap after coming from behind to claim a point at Livingston.
The Tannadice men produced an improved second-half performance having been thoroughly outplayed in a poor first 45 minutes at the Tony Macaroni Arena. Steven Bradley’s goal had given Livingston a deserved advantage, but Aziz Behich struck after the interval to level matters.
Goodwin felt his side were the more likely winners from then on out, but neither side could fashion another route to goal as the spoils were shared on a freezing night in West Lothian. United remain three points behind fellow strugglers Kilmarnock and Ross County.
But while the United manager insists neither he nor his players will get carried away with a draw, he believes they’ve shown him they have the ‘character’ required to haul themselves out of a perilous position at the bottom of the Premiership table.
The result halts a demoralising run of six consecutive defeats, and Goodwin hopes his squad will take a timely psychological boost in stopping the rot.
"We showed we have the fighting characteristics that we need in a relegation battle,” he said afterwards. “The only way we get ourselves out of this is to show guts and character and that's what I saw. It's also crucial we showed the supporters that we have that fight.
"I'm satisfied that we've managed to put a stop of the run of defeats, that was really important tonight.
"This is a notoriously difficult place for any team to come to. I thought that for the last hour we were the better team after we started the game very poorly. I've got to take my fair share of the blame for that as well as the system wasn't working.
"But the players showed the exact characteristics you need when you are in a relegation dogfight. When it goes 1-0 to Livingston some teams would crumble but the boys stuck together.
"If I'm being honest, I thought the draw was the fair result.”
