Ian McCall got off to a winning start as Dundee United manager and hauled the club off the bottom of the Scottish Premier League table for the first time in months.

He fulfilled his promise to 'shake things up' at Tannadice - and pulled a pre-match surprise by dropping Scotland goalkeeper Paul Gallacher and replacing him with forgotten man Alan Combe.

Combe's involvement was to be short-lived, however, as he was red-carded for his part in conceding a penalty after 19 minutes, which Derek Adams scored to cancel out Andy Tod's early opener.

But a spirited second-half showing - with more emphasis on grinding out the result than playing entertaining football - was capped by a 68th minute-winner from man-of-the-match Charlie Miller.

United started very well and kept possession for much of the opening stages.

They pinned Motherwell back and it seemed inevitable that they would take the lead.

As it happened, McCall only had five minutes to wait until his new charges scored their first goal.

Craig Easton picked the ball up in midfield and burst forward before trying to feed Jim McIntyre, who was running into the box.

Well defender William Kinniburgh stepped in to clear, knocking the ball out for a corner.

Standing over the dead ball, Miller hesitated until recent signing Tod broke free of his marker and then played a low pass through the area to him.

This left Tod with a golden chance to score and he gratefully accepted, stroking the ball through a ruck of players and into the net from eight yards.

Combe's recall as a United first-team player turned to disaster, as he stayed on the field for only 19 minutes before being ordered off.

The goalkeeper had spent two seasons in the wilderness, but was handed his chance when new manager McCall decided to make changes.

Tod played a short back pass which allowed David Clarkson to go through one-on-one with the goalkeeper.

The youngster knocked the ball past Combe, but had his heels clipped by the United keeper and fell to ground for a penalty.

Referee David Somers wasted no time in issuing Combe with a red card and after United had made a substitution, bringing on goalkeeper Gallacher for striker Allan Smart, Adams dispatched the spot-kick with ease.

Subtlety was not high on the agenda of these two struggling sides and nervousness began to creep in as the game progressed.

Motherwell, who fielded a team brimming with youngsters, were particularly culpable as the ball repeatedly found itself either in the air or out of play.

However, United midfielder Miller was one player capable of rising above the mediocrity and it was he who gave the home side the lead for the second time in the match.

He picked the ball up 12 yards form goal from impressive left-back Stuart Duff and simply looked up, spotted that Woods had left the far corner of his net exposed and sent a delicate chip over his head.

United seemed to gain momentum from taking the lead again and began to show some of the excellent passing which they demonstrated in the opening stages.

Man of the match Miller was instrumental in all United's good work and he put in the kind of performance which had him on the fringes of the Scotland set-up when he first joined the club two seasons ago.

The home side look to have gained new confidence from a change in manager and they may have added a second in the dying minutes when Billy Dodds broke through on goal, but he sent his effort wide of the post.

Teams

Dundee Utd Combe, McCraken (Wilson 45), Daniel Chiarini, Tod (Lilley 53), Bollan, Duff, Easton, Miller, McIntyre, Smart (Gallacher 19), Dodds.

Subs Not Used: Hamilton, O'Donnell.

Sent Off: Combe (18).

Booked: Dodds, Bollan, Miller.

Goals: Tod 5, Miller 68.

Motherwell Woods, Kinniburgh, Corrigan, Partridge, Vaughan, Adams (Fagan 73), Leitch (Lasley 83), Pearson, Hammell, Clarkson, Craig (Offiong 67).

Subs Not Used: Ewings, Cowan.

Booked: Leitch, Partridge, Craig.

Goals: Adams 20 pen.

Att: 6,672

Ref: D Somers (Scotland).