A 67th minute header from Darren Dods, his first goal of the season, gave St Johnstone all three points against Dundee United at Tannadice.

Although only one goal separated the sides, it was a deserved win for the visitors who were by far the more impressive team in a game which, unusually for an SPL match, flowed from end to end.

Play in the early stages was scrappy as both sides needlessly surrendered possession on a regular basis.

First to threaten in their 11th minute was Saints striker Graeme Jones who headed a Kiegan Parker cross just over the bar from eight yards out.

In fact Jones was causing United defence all sorts of problems and Darren Patterson and Jason De Vos were struggling to cope with the strength of the big Englishman.

In the 18th minute Jones tried to set up Parker in United's six-yard box but Venetis intercepted to clear for a corner.

As the first half wore on the visitors remained slightly the better side although neither team could fashion any clear cut chances.

In the 40th minute John Paul McBride played a quick free-kick to John O'Neil and United veteran Maurice Malpas had to react quickly to block the Saints midfielder's shot.

Just before half-time De Vos almost headed home a 30-yard Scott McCulloch free-kick but watched in agony as his effort went the wrong side of the post.

Incredibly, the game's first attempt on target didn't come until the 46th minute when McBride tried his luck with a 25-yard shot.

But the ex-Celtic player's effort was weak and trundled harmlessly through to Combe in the United goal.

Saints had a penalty claim when Alex Mathie mis-kicked on the goal-line from an O'Neil header and the ball came up and struck his hand.

But referee Brown waved the visitors' appeals away and then booked Gary Bollan for protesting too long and too loud.

A minute later Mathie was in action again, this time at the other end, when his shot from 10 yards was well saved by Saints keeper Steve Robertson.

In the 57th minute Robertson again made a great save from Bernard Pascual after the United defender had barged his way into the Saints box.

On the hour mark McBride curled a 20-yard shot towards the top corner of the United goal but Combe got up to curl the ball away for a corner.

It was the visitors who got the breakthrough in the 67th minute when Dods came in to blast a header in from eight yards after Malpas had deflected a McBride cross into the defender's path.

It was a deserved lead for the Saints and they began to take control of the game as the United players' heads dropped.

Parker had the chance to settle it when he was sent through by Jones but the youngster shot straight at Combe from 12 yards.

Minutes later Jones came close with a 25 yards shot which went narrowly over the bar as Saints went for the kill.

But in the end Dods' header proved enough to secure the points for the visitors.

Teams:

Dundee Utd: Combe, Pascual, De Vos, Patterson, Partridge, Venetis (Davidson 65), Malpas, Hannah, S. McCulloch (Easton 65), Mathie, McConalogue (Ferraz 70).

Subs Not Used: Gallacher, Telesnikov.

Booked: Patterson.

St Johnstone: Robertson, Weir, Dods, Bollan, McAnespie, O'Neil, Kane, McBride (Millar 90), O'Halloran, Parker (Thomas 86), Jones.

Subs Not Used: Connolly, Griffin, Gow.

Booked: Weir, Bollan.

Goals: Dods 67.

Att: 6,243

Ref: Tom Brown (Scotland).