Dundee Utd2–2Kilmarnock

The tangerines failed to land three after a fine rally immediately after the interval had taken them out of arrears and into a potential winning situation, especially as Killie by that stage had been reduced to ten men. With Brian Welsh suspended, Christian Dailly partnered Gordan Petric in defence whilst up front Robbie Winters started a competitive match for the first time. Billy McKinlay also returned after missing the friendly against Partizan Belgrade.

The first chances fell to Kilmarnock, with a McKee header drifting past the far post. Then Maskrey cutting in from the left, but Kelham O'Hanlon, held his drive at the near post.

However, Robbie Winters came very close to scoring midway through the first half when he latched on to a through ball, but Lekovic fisted his blistering drive away for a corner.

Five minutes later United were caught out by a probing free-kick from Whitworth which curled deep and dangerously into the six yard box and when Gary Bollan tried to chest it clear all he succeeded in doing was deflecting the ball past his own keeper.

Killie were battling hard and made things difficult for United to create any openings, though Lekovic did make a save from a well struck Billy McKinlay shot look easier than perhaps it was. None-the-less, United really should have gone in level at the interval.

The half-time whistle was only seconds away when David Hannah drifted into the middle and almost staring into the whites of the keepers eyes somehow pulled his low shot wide of the target. Fortunately, the under-21 midfielder quickly made amends in the second period. The half was onlv four minutes old when after luckily being awarded a corner, Grant Johnson headed the ball into the middle and Robbie Winters back header dropped to David Hannah who steered an angular drive into the net off the inside of the far post.

Five minutes later and the whole game had been turned on its head in a disastrous minute for the vistors. First Whitworth was ordered off for a second bookable offence for a foul on Craig Brewster and when Gary Bollan slung over a cross from the left Robbie Winters capped a fine first start to a match to finish with a spectacular overhead kick.

Instead of going for the jugular, United seemed content to amble about, trying to keep possession and duly paid for this with 19 minutes left when Ally Mitchell stooped to head a cross from the left low past Kelham O'Hanlon for the equaliser. Shortly afterwards Jerren Nixon and Paddy Connolly replaced Grant Johnson and only the leg of Lekovte prevented Paddy Connolly from snatching the winner with a couple of minutes to go after he had wriggled his way past two defenders.