A dramatic late equaliser from Dundee United substitute Joaquim Ferraz denied Kilmarnock the chance to move off the foot of the Scottish Premier League table.

United looked down and out after falling behind to two Iain Durrant goals either side of the interval at Tannadice.

But a David Hannah free-kick reduced the deficit after an hour and in a grandstand finish Ferraz popped up to head home the equaliser.

Kilmarnock had been first to threaten in the fifth minute when Samassi Abou drove an angled shot from 20 yards which went narrowly past goalkeeper Alan Combe's right-hand post.

It was another 10 minutes before the crowd saw any more goalmouth action, but the home fans groaned as unmarked striker Alex Mathie failed to control a Jim Hamilton pass and the ball ran out for a goal-kick.

On the half-hour mark Kilmarnock midfielder Gary Holt, after good work on the right, found Abou in the box but the little striker was crowded out by United defenders and the danger was averted.

Kilmarnock midfielder Durrant was showing some nice touches but even he failed to spark a dull first half into life.

Mid-table United could have taken the lead five minutes before the break. Jason De Vos stole in to connect with a Hannah free-kick but Kilmarnock keeper Gordon Marshall was quickly out to smother.

Just as the crowd were settling for a goal-less first half the visitors scored as Durrant picked up an Abou pass and his driven shot arrowed through a congested penalty area and past Combe.

Durrant stamped his mark on the game again in sensational style as Kilmarnock doubled their lead three minutes into the second half.

Ally Mitchell played a short free-kick to the former Rangers player, who shaped to pass but instead drove a glorious 25-yard shot past Combe and into the roof of the net.

The home crowd tried to inspire their side and were rewarded when United pulled one back in the 62nd minute when Hannah's free-kick from 25 yards found the back of the Kilmarnock net, catching keeper Marshall out of position.

Suddenly it was United who were in the ascendancy as the visitors struggled to regain their composure.

Five minutes from the end John McQuillan was denied an equaliser when his shot cannoned off the post and it looked as if United had run out of luck.

But the home side continued to pound Kilmarnock and were rewarded with an equaliser in injury time when Ferraz headed home a De Vos corner to cap a tremendous fightback.

Teams:

Dundee Utd: Combe, McQuillan, De Vos, Partridge, Pascual (Davidson 54), Easton (Venetis 61), Hannah, Jonsson, S. McCulloch, Mathie (Ferraz 59), Hamilton.

Subs Not Used: Gallagher, Malpas.

Booked: Partridge.Goals: Hannah 62, Ferraz 90.

Kilmarnock: Marshall, MacPherson (Canero 57), Dindeleux, Lauchlan, McKinlay, Holt, Reilly, Durrant, Mitchell, Cocard,Abou (Smith 75).

Subs Not Used: Meldrum, Vareille, Hessey.

Booked: Cocard.Goals: Durrant 45, 48.

Att: 6,966

Ref: D McDonald (Scotland).