The arrival of Billy Dodds at Tannadice worked wonders as Dundee United came from behind to take a point from a match they should have won.

The tiny striker - back at Tannadice three years after leaving the club for Rangers - could not help the home side claim their first win since April.

But he scored an equaliser 10 minutes after Peter Canero gave Killie the lead, but it was not only his scoring instincts that were important to Paul Hegarty's men.

The former Scotland man's influence on the side was telling as they continued to press for the entire 90 minutes and failed to accept defeat, even when only seconds remained.

A second half goal from Andy McLaren looked to have given Killie the points, but Jim McIntyre popped up to score with the final kick of the ball to reward battling United.

United looked sharp in attack in the opening stages, with the hard work of Dodds and Lilley causing Kilmarnock problems.

They created the first opening after only three minutes when a sloppy clearance by Shaun Dillon allowed Lilley a sight of goal.

The striker spotted Gordon Marshall off his line and tried to chip the ball over his head, but put too much power on it and the ball sailed just over the bar.

Killie took the lead on the 20-minute mark totally against the run of play when Canero cut inside from the left channel and powered a shot in on Paul Gallacher's goal.

The Scotland squad goalkeeper looked to have the effort well covered, but somehow let the ball slip past his hand and into the bottom right corner of the net.

United hit back ten minutes later and it was debut man Dodds who got the goal. The striker, who scored 25 goals in 44 matches during his last spell with the club, opened his account second time round with a trademark poacher's finish.

Paterson took a corner from the right and the ball broke to McIntyre, who had come on as sub for the injured Miller minutes earlier, and he blasted the ball towards goal.

The effort found its way through a ruck of players and broke to Dodds, who was standing in the six-yard area and managed to prod the ball home.

Marshall kept his side level with five minutes remaining of the half when he brilliantly saved a Paterson volley from close range.

The United man was picked out eight yards from goal by a Dodds pass and hit his effort first time - but Marshall managed to dive low and touch the ball away for a corner.

Kilmarnock took the lead for the second time in the match, once again during a time when United were dominating, and again the blame for going behind can be laid at the door of Gallacher.

Kris Boyd broke down the right flank and played a pass back through the penalty area for McLaren.

The one-time United player fired in a weak shot from 15 yards which squirmed past the goalkeeper and into the net.

Kilmarnock looked content with their afternoon's work and moved further and further back as they strove to protect their lead.

But the late arrival of Jim Hamilton alongside Dodds, in place of Lilley, sparked life into United and they equalised with the final kick of the game.

Paterson crossed from the right into a packed penalty area and found McIntyre at the back post. The former Killie player stooped low to nod the ball past Marshall and spark scenes of wild celebration from the home fans.

Teams

Dundee Utd: Gallacher, Duff, Lauchlan, McCraken, Wilson, O'Donnell, Easton, Miller (McIntyre 28), Paterson, Dodds, Lilley (Hamilton 81).

Subs Not Used: Combe, McCunnie, Smart.

Goals: Dodds 31, McIntyre 90.

Kilmarnock: Marshall, Canero, Shields, Innes, Dillon, Fowler, Mahood, Fulton, McLaren, Boyd, Dargo (Mitchell 87).

Subs Not Used: Meldrum, Dindeleux, Hay, Di Giacomo.

Booked: Dillon, McLaren, Innes.

Goals: Canero 21, McLaren 67.

Att: 7,183

Ref: Hugh Dallas (Scotland).