Dundee United take derby spoils in style with help of luckiest goal of the season contender

The result strengthens United’s credentials as the ‘best of the rest’ at the top of the Premiership’s bottom half following the split. Meanwhile, Dundee still have work to do to secure their own survival.

The first half was certainly entertaining if lacking in quality at times. United set the tempo from the first minute as a slack back header from Hearts loanee Yan Dhanda put Zach Sapsford through on goal but pressure from Luke Graham meant his shot ended up being straight down the throat of Jon McCracken.

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It was another game where Graham showed why there has been so much reported transfer interest from both sides of the border in his services. The 22-year old is one of the best players in the bottom half of the Premiership right now and would significantly improve the defences of most of the ‘bigger’ clubs in Scotland.

He was solid at the back and a menace in United’s penalty box at set piece time. However, despite his composure, the Dark Blues found themselves trailing in comical fashion after the 14th minute.

It all started with a lovely through ball by Vicko Sevelj to Neil Farruiga, another stand out performer on the day. The former Shamrock Rovers and Barnsley man dragged it back from the byline and the Dundee defence could only clear as far as Sapsford.

The Australian’s shot was initially blocked by Graham but from there the ball deflected off United’s Will Ferry, who was picking himself up from the deck six yards out, and that wrong footed McCracken as it trundled in at the far corner off the inside of the post. You’ll be hard pressed to see a more lucky, or unlucky if you’re of a Dundee persuasion, goal this season.

The action was end-to-end and Graham had a looping header cleared off the line by Iurie Iovu with David Richards well beaten while Farrugia cut inside and saw a left foot effort deflected off the woodwork by McCracken at the other end. The two teams were certainly evenly matched in the opening 45 minutes and the visitors thought they had grabbed an equaliser but for the intervention of VAR.

It was Graham once again who made space for himself from a free kick and his header from six yards out brought a good stop out of Richards only for the ball to ricochet off Billy Koumetio in front of him, which allowed Joseph Westley to come steaming in and force it into the United net. Initial replays looked as if it was a pull on the jersey of Ross Graham by Ryan Astley in the build up that would chalk it off but, in fact, the ball had struck the arm of Koumetio when it hit him and a free kick to United was awarded.

The second half looked like it would fail to live up to the spectacle of the first as the atmosphere drifted out of Tannadice with both sides struggling to retain possession. It wasn’t until the 66th minute when there was another clear cut chance as a United corner was met by Sevelj who probably should have done better as he headed over the crossbar.

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That incident, plus the introduction of Simon Murray for their rivals off the bench, breathed new life into the home support and they didn’t have to wait long to reap the rewards of that. Ferry got his second of the afternoon and there was nothing lucky about this one as Sevelj squared it to the former Southampton youth player at the edge of the box and he hit it sweetly into the far corner from 18 yards with a superb strike that left McCracken no chance.

The hosts made hay while the sun shone down on another ‘Beautiful Sunday’ - United’s signature anthem - at Tannadice Park and put the derby to bed just two minutes later. Ferry, capping off a man of the match performance at this stage, delivered a sublime cross from the left channel and Ryan Strain rose highest to head in across the face of McCracken's goal.

Jim Goodwin’s side are safe from the drop and the result was more about getting one over on their rivals. As for Dundee, they retain a five-point advantage over 11th placed Kilmarnock ahead of back-to-back home matches against St Mirren and Livingston before heading to Rugby Park.

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