It seems to be a feature of derby games that one side goes two goals ahead and the other fights back to earn a draw and so it proved again at Tannadice when visitors Dundee converted two second half penalties to claim a share of the spoils.
Dundee United were quickly out of the blocks and goalkeeper David Mitchell had to rush off his line to block Matty Smith as early as the second minute.
However, just a minute later, the home side were ahead. Ryan Gemmell’s foul on Justin Johnson earned United a free kick on the edge of the Dundee penalty area and Brad Smith curled in a beauty to put the home side one up.
It took the Dens boys 15 minutes to win their first corner and there was a bit of head tennis in the United box before skipper Ben Priest’s shot was gathered by Luis Zwick.
Priest then had to look lively at the other end as he cut out a dangerous cross from Johnson.
United looked much sharper than a stuttering Dundee side at this stage and, when Darryl Meggatt was dispossessed by Flo Sinama-Pongolle, the United man should have done better than fire his effort wide.
Five minutes from the interval there was a further scare for the Dark Blues when Matty Smith burst through and Mitchell had to bring off another save with his legs.
A careless Josh Skelly passback should have resulted in a second United goal but Matty Smith missed the target badly.
Dundee took off Gemmell at half time and brought on Kyle Clark.
It didn’t take long for United to get that second though, in the opening minutes of the second half. Ali Coote found Matty Smith out wide on the right and he sent his shot across Mitchell and into the far corner of the net.
It didn’t look as if there was any way back for Dundee because, although they enjoyed more possession than they had in the first period, they weren’t really able to trouble the United keeper.
On 55 minutes they were given a lifeline. A Skelly free kick into the box saw Thomas Konrad fouled and a penalty awarded. Calvin COLQUHOUN stepped up and gave Zwick no chance with a powerful shot into the bottom right corner.
On 70 minutes Matty Allan came on for Konrad, signalling a return to action for the long-time injured central defender.
Although the Dens men now had the upper hand it was United who looked dangerous on the break. A clever Sinama-Pongolle free kick fell to Coote and his thunderous shot was parried away for a corner by Mitchell.
With 10 minutes remaining, John Black came on for Taylor Berry and the midfielder played a superb ball through to Clark who blazed his shot over from a good position.
It looked as though the game was to end in victory for United but in the final minute of normal time Johnson brought down Clark in the box and Dundee were awarded a second penalty.
Up stepped COLQUHOUN and once again he gave Zwick no chance with a scorching shot into the bottom corner.
There was still time for the Tangerines to nick the win when Johnson found Coote in a good position but Mitchell managed to beat his shot away and earn his side a valuable point.
FT: Dundee Utd 2 Dundee 2
Dundee: Mitchell, Gibb, Meggatt, Priest, Konrad (Allan 70), Colquhoun, A Black, Berry (J Black 80), Skelly, Curran, Gemmell (Clark 46).
Subs not used: Gourlay, Warwick, Gallacher.
Report: Jim Davie
