Substitute Steve Lovell returned from injury to fire Dundee to victory in the
first Tayside derby of 2004.
The former Portsmouth man has missed much of the campaign with a knee injury,
but took only four minutes to find the net on his comeback.
United had been leading at the interval, after Billy Dodds scored a penalty,
awarded when Brent Sancho took Charlie Miller's legs.
However, Dundee were fired up after the break and equalised within three
minutes through Nacho Novo.
The three points gained from this win makes sure Dundee leapfrog their city
rivals and almost certainly dispel any lingering thoughts of relegation.
The only downside for the home side was the injury to Lee Wilkie after 29
minutes.
Jim Duffy made three changes to the side which was eliminated from the
Tennents Scottish Cup by Aberdeen in midweek.
He handed loan signing Neil Barrett, who joined from Portsmouth on Friday, his
debut and also recalled ex-Celtic youngster Mark Fotheringham after serving a
one-game ban - in place of youngsters Neil Jablonski and Steven Robb.
Dundee also brought back Steven Milne, out for much of the season with a knee
injury, ahead of Bobby Linn.
United boss Ian McCall made two changes. He dropped under-fire striker Collin
Samuel after a poor display against the Dons last weekend, former Rangers
midfielder Miller taking his place.
United also brought back Jim Paterson, in place of full-back Stuart Duff.
The match began at a high tempo and the opening exchanges were bursting with
energy but lacked quality.
Dundee created an early chance, however, and will feel they should have had
more for their efforts when Wilkie found a hole in the United rearguard after
Barrett had nodded on Dave MacKay's corner kick.
The Scotland man, renowned for his blundering forays forward, saw the ball
come to him and attempted an audacious scissors kick. Unfortunately he got the
ball lost in between his legs and sent it into the hands of Paul Gallacher.
Wilkie's involvement in the game lasted only 29 minutes, however, after he
went down heavily under a challenge from Miller.
He was taken off on a stretcher immediately after the incident, but gamely
tried to play on but managed only two minutes before going off for good.
Trinidadian defender Sancho came on in his place.
Sancho almost immediately opened the scoring, meeting a Gary Brady corner with
his head at the back post. His powerful effort was on target, but Gallacher
managed to get his hands to the ball and beat it clear.
Referee Alan Freeland had to break up a fracas when Miller nudged Barrett
inside the centre circle.
The two players clashed before the official raced in to part them and booking
the Dundee new boy.
Sancho's frantic afternoon took a turn for the worse in the 44th minute when,
as a result of some cute footwork from the United playmaker, he whipped the feet
from under Miller inside the penalty area.
Dodds stepped up to take the kick and sent the ball rolling into the bottom
right-hand corner.
Dundee attacked straight from the restart and levelled the scores within three
minutes.
Rangers target Novo used his blistering pace to get in ahead of Alan
Archibald, forcing the former Partick Thistle to whip the legs from under him.
Fotheringham lofted the dead ball towards the back post for Sancho, who hooked
it back into the six-yard box for the Spaniard.
The free-scoring forward, who is attracting interest from Rangers and West
Ham, bundled the ball into the net for the 18th time this season.
Dundee suffered another injury scare soon after, and once again Miller was the
guilty man in the eyes of home fans.
He went in heavily on goalkeeper Julian Speroni, leaving the Argentinian
crumpled on the floor. Fortunately for Duffy, he was able to continue after
treatment.
Freeland had to step in again to prevent an altercation, this time in the 64th
minute, when Andy McLaren went in late on MacKay.
Dundee's players were furious and tried to remonstrate with the winger, but
the referee quickly flashed his yellow card and calmed the situation.
Duffy then threw on another of his former Portsmouth men, Lovell, in place of
Barrett.
The Dundee boss has maintained that the full recovery of strikers Milne and
Lovell would trigger an upturn in the Dark Blues' fortunes - and so it proved in
the 70th minute.
Milne slipped the ball through to his team-mate, who had only been on the park
for four minutes, and he showed no signs of rustiness as he twisted Mark Wilson
before curling a shot high into the top corner.
Losing the goal spurred McCall into a re-think and he made two substitutions,
first Dodds made way for Samuel, then Kerr came off for Craig Easton.
Duffy took off the tiring Milne and replaced him with Steven Robb.
Dundee closed the game up in the final minutes, limiting United to a series of
long-range efforts and running down the clock for a priceless victory.
Teams
Dundee Speroni, Mackay, Wilkie (Sancho 27), Mair,
Hernandez Santos, Barrett (Lovell 65), Smith, Brady, Novo,
Milne (Robb 79), Fotheringham.
Subs Not Used: Soutar, Jablonski.
Booked: Barrett.
Goals: Novo 48, Lovell 70.
Dundee Utd Gallacher, Wilson, McCracken, Archibald,
James Paterson, Kerr (Easton 79), Miller, McInnes, Robson,
Dodds (Samuel 71), McLaren.
Subs Not Used: Bullock, Duff, Scotland.
Booked: Miller, McLaren, Robson.
Goals: Dodds 44 pen.
Att: 10,747
Ref: A Freeland (Scotland).
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