Mixu Paatelainen says Dundee United will cope with the loss of Gavin Gunning against Hibernian in Saturdays Scottish Cup semi-final. The Irishman left Tannadice earlier this week following a bizarre incident against Inverness Caledonian Thistle last weekend.Gunning picked up the ball and walked off the park after half-an-hour of the 2-0 home defeat but Paatelainen insists the reasons for his departure will remain private. Speaking to Sky Sports News HQ ahead of the Sky Live encounter, the Finn said: It was very unfortunate. Things happened which I couldnt tolerate and I made a decision that Gavin would not play for us again this season. Mixu Paatelainen makes feelings known to Gavin Gunning after walk-off at Tannadice I explained we wanted to keep the reasons private. He is away now so these things happen and we go forward. We have a strong squad of players and I am looking forward to the semi-final.Dundee United lost 3-0 to Hibernian in the League Cup quarter-finals last November but former Hibs and United striker Paatelainen says that game will have no bearing on the outcome of Saturdays game. Mixu confident United will cope without Gunning That was very early doors and obviously we didnt deserve anything from that match, he added. Were playing a lot better at the moment and hopefully Saturday is a good day for us.We do realise also that Hibs are a good, very energetic, mobile team with dangerous strikers and we need to be on our toes and make sure we dont give them any openings. But we have the players who can hurt them as well. Hibs are struggling for form with just two wins from 11 games Hibs head to Hampden on the back of a poor run which has seen them win just two of their last 11 matches, a stat Paatelainen says should be ignored.Every match is a new adventure and you never know what can happen, he said. You might have a poor run and then you change it around and you go on a run of victories.Obviously we are hoping that is not the case and that Hibs inconsistencies remain and we take advantage of that but who are we to say anything because we have been pretty inconsistent as wellSome days weve been brilliant, playing attractive and effective football and then the next match it doesnt go well at all. Theres a few question marks up in the air for both teams, but it is a match I am looking forward to. Also See: Dundee Utd fixtures Dundee Utd stats Scottish Prem table Yeezy 700 Waverunner Kopen . The league announced Thursday that Tom Higgins is leaving that post effective immediately. Adidas Continental 80 Heren .com) - The Los Angeles Dodgers made it official Tuesday and signed pitcher Brandon McCarthy to a four-year contract. http://www.nmdbelgie.com/kopen-adidas-nm...-heren.html.com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch. Adidas NMD XR1 Dames . Edmonton opened the season with 14 straight victories before falling Friday night 10-8 to the host Colorado Mammoth in National Lacrosse League action. Adidas NMD Heren Sale . "It feels good, Ive never had one before, not even in College," Hagelin said after the Rangers outgunned the Jets 4-2, behind some solid goaltending from Henrik Lundqvist following a pretty wide open first period.WASHINGTON -- Washingtons Ian Desmond took a substantial lead off third base in the seventh inning of a tie game, wondering whether St. Louis pitcher Michael Wacha might leave a changeup in the dirt. "I was just kind of anticipating," Desmond explained later. Sure enough, Wacha threw a wild pitch that bounced away from catcher Yadier Molina, who compounded the problem with a throwing error as Desmond charged home, leading to a second unearned run on the play. That was enough to propel Gio Gonzalez and the Nationals to a 3-1 victory Friday night, ending their eight-game losing streak against the Cardinals. "I saw it bounce off a little bit. I said, Weve got to take a chance here," Desmond said. "And fortunately for us, it worked out." Said Nationals manager Matt Williams: "You never see a ball get away from Yadi. Ever." Thats because Molina has won six consecutive NL Gold Glove awards. But his miscue fit, somehow, with this series so far. A night after the Nationals made three errors -- they initially were charged with four, but one was changed to a hit Friday -- in an 8-0 loss, it was the Cardinals turn to be sloppy. St. Louis finished with three errors, two coming in the pivotal seventh inning. A pair of singles and an error by third baseman Matt Carpenter -- who dropped Wachas throw of Danny Espinosas bunt -- loaded the bases with no outs. "I stretched before I saw where it was going and ended up missing it. It was a good throw. I should have caught it," Carpenter said. "But it tipped off my glove and ended up being the difference in the game." Wacha struck out Nate McLouth and got Jose Lobaton to hit a roller that led to a forceout at home. But with pinch hitter Zach Walters up, Wachas pitch darted to his catchers right. "Just spiked a changeup," Wacha said. Molina tried to make an underhand toss to Wacha, but the throw -- which did not appear in time to beat Desmond, anyway -- was off-target. It went into the Cardinals dugout, allowing Espinosa to score, too. "Im just trying to make a play," Molina said. &quuot;I threw it away.dddddddddddd My fault." Desmond shouted and punched the air, a 1-1 game suddenly 3-1. "Desi made the decision instantly to get toward the plate," Williams said. "He read it correctly." Wacha (2-1) gave up five hits and one earned run. On Sept. 24, in his ninth career start, Wacha no-hit the Nationals until there were two outs in the ninth inning, when Ryan Zimmermans infield single ended the bid. This time, Washington had three hits by the third, when Anthony Rendons solo shot came off a first-pitch 74 mph curveball. Gonzalez (3-1) allowed one run and four hits in seven innings, retiring the last 11 batters he faced. He had seven strikeouts and one walk as Washington beat St. Louis for the first time since Game 4 of the teams 2012 NL division series. "It was one of those games that we needed. We needed to bounce back," Gonzalez said about Friday. "We needed something like this. It put us back together. Now we go from here, one game at a time." Nationals reliever Tyler Clippard came on for the eighth and needed 26 pitches just to get one out. With runners on second and third, and No. 3-4 batters Matt Holliday and Allen Craig coming up, Clippard was replaced by Drew Storen. "Youve got two great hitters right there, guys in scoring position," Storen said. He was the closer back in October 2012, when he let the Cardinals erase a 7-5 deficit with two outs in the top of the ninth of Game 5 to win 9-7. But this time, Storen got Holliday on a popup in foul territory, then Craig on a groundout, before Rafael Soriano shook off a comebacker that hit his leg and a walk in the ninth to earn his fourth save. "A good win. Theyre a tremendous team. Theyve gotten the best of us in the past," Rendon said. "But were trying to change that." NOTES: Nationals CF Denard Span (7-day DL, concussion) is expected to be in Washington for Saturdays game. ... In the third game of the four-game series, Nationals RHP Jordan Zimmermann (1-0, 5.27 ERA) will start against Cardinals RHP Lance Lynn (3-0, 4.00). ' ' '