Sam Cleall-Harding: Fourth place would be an incredible season for Dundee United

Sam Cleall-Harding has targeted a European spot when Dundee United host Aberdeen on the final day of the William Hill Premiership season at Tannadice on Saturday.

The 19-year-old defender scored his first goal for the Tayside club with a header from a corner to give Jim Goodwin’s side the lead against Rangers at Ibrox on Wednesday night.

However, the Light Blues fought back with a Cyriel Dessers double – the second from the spot – and a strike from midfielder Nicolas Raskin to keep all three points in Govan.

It was a fourth successive defeat for wobbling United who sit in fifth place, three points behind Aberdeen and one ahead of chasing St Mirren going into the final league fixture, with European places up for grabs.

Academy graduate Cleall-Harding is aware of what is at stake against the Dons.

He said: “It’s going to be massive and I hope I can play my part and get three points.

“If we can get that fourth position it’s an unbelievable season, something to give back to the fans as well.

“We know what’s at stake, a place in Europe and getting fourth would be an incredible season if we managed to get that.

“We’re all determined to get that place and get the three points.

“It was a good experience playing at Ibrox and I’m happy and proud of myself to get on the scoresheet.

“But we’re obviously disappointed not to get the three points that we set out to get.

“But we’ve got another big game on Saturday and we look forward to that.”

It has been quite the journey for Cleall-Harding, who spent the first half of the campaign on loan at Kelty Hearts.

He said: “I enjoyed it at Ibrox. I want to play games, it’s all I want to do.

“I was just glad to play my game. We didn’t get the three points but we’ve got another big game Saturday to go and get that.

“We had a game plan and I thought it was working.