Kilmarnock substitute Kris Boyd struck his eighth goal against Dundee United this season to earn a point for the Rugby Park side at Tannadice.

The home side had gone ahead in the first half with a controversial opener after just 16 minutes.

Striker Jim McIntyre's header from a Barry Robson corner at first seemed to have been cleared off the line by Peter Leven before assistant referee Steven Craven flagged for a goal, which was eventually confirmed by referee Mike McCurry.

But, after coming on for Colin Nish at the interval, Boyd slammed home a 53rd-minute leveller from close range after a David Lilley header had rebounded off the post.

The point allowed United to edge further away from the Bank of Scotland Premier League relegation battle, three points of the bottom spot.

However, there was a strangely subdued atmosphere emanating from a poor crowd at Tannadice.

The apathy seemed to affect the players and the early stages threw up little in terms of excitement.

The first half chance came in the seventh minute when a loose ball broke to Stuart Duff 14 yards from goal, but the United midfielder scuffed his shot and the ball went well wide of the target.

In the 14th minute, Tannadice striker McIntyre's shot from 30 yards was blocked by Garry Hay, but, although United playmaker Robson got a header in on goal from 10 yards out, Rugby Park keeper Alan Combe saved comfortably on the line.

The home side then stepped up the pace and took the lead in the 16th minute with a controversial goal.

Robson's in-swinging corner from the right came into the box and McIntyre's close-range header beat Combe but appeared to be cleared off the line by Killie midfielder Leven.

Referee McCurry played on only to see his assistant Craven flag for the goal and the home players celebrated, albeit belatedly.

In the 37th minute, United defender Mark Wilson sent in a curling 30-yard free-kick which Combe did well to save at his right-hand post.

The home side pressed just before the break for the second goal but Kilmarnock defended desperately to hang on for the half-time whistle.

Kilmarnock manager Jim Jefferies brought on top scorer Boyd for the ineffective Nish at the interval.

The substitution seemed to inspire the visitors and they laid siege to the United goal immediately after the re-start - the short burst of pressure ending when striker Gary Wales sent a 20-yard shot wide of the target.

There was no real surprise when Boyd, who had scored seven times already this season against the Taysiders including five in the 5-2 victory at Rugby Park in September, got the equaliser in the 53rd minute.

Leven's cross came in from the left and Killie defender David Lilley rose inside a packed penalty area to get in a header which beat Bullock and crashed off the far post.

As the home defence hesitated momentarily, the rebound fell to the Scotland Future international, who slammed the ball into the net from a couple of yards out.

The leveller stunned United out of their lethargy and soon they began to impose themselves on the game pushing the visitors further back towards Combe.

But, in the 65th minute, it was Boyd again who came close to putting Kilmarnock into the lead with a dipping shot from 25 yards which landed on the roof of the net.

In the 76th minute, McIntyre set up Robson inside the visitors penalty area, but the former Inverness player's angled shot from 12 yards was well saved by Combe at his near post.

McIntyre then came close with a volley which just cleared the bar.

Then Robson had a penalty claim turned down when he tumbled in the box following a challenge by Killie substitute Steven Naismith, who had replaced Gordon Greer earlier.

Teams

Dundee Utd Bullock, Kenneth, Ritchie, Archibald, Wilson, Kerr, Brebner, Duff (Samuel 70), Robson, Crawford, McIntyre.

Subs Not Used: Colgan, McCracken, McInnes, Dodds, Grady, Cameron.

Booked: Wilson.

Goals: McIntyre 16.

Kilmarnock Combe, Lilley, Greer (Naismith 63), Dindeleux, Fowler, McDonald, Locke, Leven, Hay, Nish (Boyd 45), Wales (Johnstone 90).

Subs Not Used: Smith, Murray, Dodds, Hamill.

Goals: Boyd 53.

Att: 6,576

Ref: M McCurry (Scotland).