Dundee United 2-2 Dundee: Thrilling city derby ends all square

Dundee United sealed a top-six Scottish Premiership spot for the first time since 2014-15 – but head coach Thomas Courts was “bitterly disappointed and frustrated” after they squandered a 2-0 lead to draw the derby with Dundee.

Nicky Clark and Charlie Mulgrew had the hosts cruising before Danny Mullen and Charlie Adam struck in a three-minute spell after the break.

Bottom club Dundee’s fightback trimmed the deficit on St Johnstone to five points with five games to play, while United remain fourth.

“When you go two goals up at home you build up a bit of momentum, and it only seemed like there was going to be one winner once we got the second goal,” Courts said.

“But, for whatever reason, the team retreated a little bit. Not just defensively but the whole team and that forced us into five or 10 minutes of being quite passive by which time Dundee had got back onto level terms.

“We had two of the best chances after that but I am still bitterly disappointed.”

• Reaction & as it happened

The derby started in typically frenetic fashion and United were quickly on the front foot against their relegation-haunted rivals.

Tony Watt pressed the Dundee defence well and Liam Smith’s cross was inches too high for Ilmari Niskanen to nod into the vacant net.

It was not long before United got the opener – and it was a nightmare for Dundee goalkeeper Ian Lawlor. He rushed out to the edge of his box in attempting to reach a lofted pass and got nowhere near the ball. Ross Graham flicked on and Clark sent a diving header into the empty net.

Dundee responded well and grew into the game. A driven ball found Mullen, who inexplicably failed to convert from a yard out, albeit he had been flagged offside.

There were plenty of flashpoints too. Ryan Edwards and Paul McGowan shared some choice words after a tackle turned into a wrestling match, and Watt and Adam clashed after the United forward went down dramatically after a fair but meaty challenge.

Ten minutes into the second half United doubled their lead as Mulgrew whipped a sensational free-kick into the top corner.

Their two-goal advantage was short-lived as Dundee hit back in stunning style. First, Mullen netted a header after Benjamin Siegrist flapped at the initial cross, presenting the Dundee striker with an empty net.

Adam then unleashed a 25-yard thunderbolt to equalise, appearing to wrong-foot Siegrist with the amount of swerve he put on it.

United still had a glut of chances to find a winner, with Marc McNulty missing from close range, Smith failing to connect with a fizzed cross, and Dylan Levitt’s strike whistling past the post.

Niall McGinn nearly had the last word for Dundee, though, as he hit the top of the bar with a looping first-time effort from 20 yards.

Man of the match – Charlie Adam

What did we learn?

Dundee United’s top-six aspirations were all but assured before kick-off but they will be disappointed to have stumbled over the line.

With the amount of chances the home side had, particularly after the score went to 2-2, they should have consigned their rivals to defeat.

Dundee have won just one of their last 18 league matches and survival looks an increasingly tall order. Raising your levels for a derby is one thing, but while they staged an admirable fightback it is wins they need at this stage of the season.

What they said

Dundee United head coach Thomas Courts: “Once the dust settles, we’ll try and take the positives from the full season, which has been a really challenging season with so many teams competing on different fronts.

“To know that we’ve got this club back into the top six is a real moment to be proud of.”

Dundee manager Mark McGhee: “The players can be proud of themselves. To fight back and come out with a draw, which is going to be a really valuable point going into the last five games, was fantastic.

“We go in [to the post-split fixtures] with some amount of optimism that our performances give us some hope and we go in knowing that we’re going in fighting and that’s the main thing.”

What’s next?

Both teams now await the post-split fixtures to be released this week to discover their schedule for the final five games of the season.

Player of the match

SmithLiam Smith

with an average of 6.80

Dundee United

1. Squad number2Player nameSmith

2. Squad number19Player nameLevitt

3. Squad number32Player nameWatt

4. Squad number29Player nameGraham

5. Squad number1Player nameSiegrist

6. Squad number4Player nameMulgrew

7. Squad number10Player nameClark

8. Squad number7Player nameNiskanen

9. Squad number12Player nameEdwards

10. Squad number6Player nameMcDonald

11. Squad number9Player nameMcNulty

Dundee

1. Squad number26Player nameAdam

2. Squad number5Player nameSweeney

3. Squad number2Player nameKerr

4. Squad number24Player nameAnderson

5. Squad number18Player nameMcMullan

6. Squad number3Player nameMarshall

7. Squad number6Player nameMcGhee

8. Squad number15Player nameMulligan

9. Squad number9Player nameMullen

10. Squad number77Player nameMcGinn

11. Squad number8Player nameByrne

12. Squad number10Player nameMcGowan

13. Squad number16Player nameElliott

14. Squad number21Player nameLawlor

Line-ups

Dundee Utd

Formation 3-4-1-2

1Siegrist

12Edwards4Mulgrew29Graham

2Smith6McDonald19Levitt7Niskanen

10Clark

32Watt9McNulty

• 1Siegrist
• 12Edwards
• 4Mulgrew
• 29GrahamBooked at 58mins
• 2Smith
• 6McDonald
• 19Levitt
• 7NiskanenBooked at 35mins
• 10Clark
• 32WattBooked at 45mins
• 9McNulty

Substitutes

• 3Spörle
• 13Eriksson
• 17Meekison
• 20Neilson
• 22Freeman
• 26Mochrie
• 33McMann
• 46Thomson
• 58Anim Cudjoe

Dundee

Formation 4-3-3

21Lawlor

2Kerr6McGhee5Sweeney3Marshall

24Anderson8Byrne26Adam

18McMullan9Mullen10McGowan

• 21Lawlor
• 2Kerr
• 6McGhee
• 5Sweeney
• 3MarshallSubstituted forElliottat 81′minutes
• 24Anderson
• 8ByrneBooked at 45mins
• 26AdamBooked at 45minsSubstituted forMulliganat 73′minutes
• 18McMullan
• 9Mullen
• 10McGowanSubstituted forMcGinnat 45′minutes

Substitutes

• 11McDaid
• 15Mulligan
• 16Elliott
• 17McCowan
• 20Rudden
• 22Daley-Campbell
• 30Sharp
• 35Rossi
• 77McGinn

Live Text

1. Match ends, Dundee United 2, Dundee 2.

2. Second Half ends, Dundee United 2, Dundee 2.

3. Attempt missed. Josh Mulligan (Dundee) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Paul McMullan.

4. Marc McNulty (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

5. Foul by Cammy Kerr (Dundee).

6. Foul by Kevin McDonald (Dundee United).

7. Max Anderson (Dundee) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

8. Attempt blocked. Tony Watt (Dundee United) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Dylan Levitt.

9. Attempt missed. Ryan Sweeney (Dundee) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Niall McGinn with a cross following a corner.

10. Corner, Dundee. Conceded by Ross Graham.

11. Attempt missed. Marc McNulty (Dundee United) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses the top right corner. Assisted by Ross Graham with a cross.

12. Kevin McDonald (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

13. Foul by Josh Mulligan (Dundee).

14. Nicky Clark (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

15. Foul by Josh Mulligan (Dundee).

16. Substitution, Dundee. Christie Elliott replaces Jordan Marshall.

17. Foul by Tony Watt (Dundee United).

18. Daniel Mullen (Dundee) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

19. Marc McNulty (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

20. Foul by Ryan Sweeney (Dundee).

Dundee’s Charlie Adam scores to make it 2-2Dundee United sealed a top-six Scottish Premiership spot for the first time since 2014-15 – but head coach Thomas Courts was “bitterly disappointed and frustrated” after they squandered a 2-0 lead to draw the derby with Dundee.Nicky Clark and Charlie Mulgrew had the hosts cruising before Danny Mullen and Charlie Adam struck in a three-minute spell after the break.Bottom club Dundee’s fightback trimmed the deficit on St Johnstone to five points with five games to play, while United remain fourth.”When you go two goals up at home you build up a bit of momentum, and it only seemed like there was going to be one winner once we got the second goal,” Courts said.”But, for whatever reason, the team retreated a little bit. Not just defensively but the whole team and that forced us into five or 10 minutes of being quite passive by which time Dundee had got back onto level terms.”We had two of the best chances after that but I am still bitterly disappointed.”Reaction & as it happenedThe derby started in typically frenetic fashion and United were quickly on the front foot against their relegation-haunted rivals.Tony Watt pressed the Dundee defence well and Liam Smith’s cross was inches too high for Ilmari Niskanen to nod into the vacant net.It was not long before United got the opener – and it was a nightmare for Dundee goalkeeper Ian Lawlor. He rushed out to the edge of his box in attempting to reach a lofted pass and got nowhere near the ball. Ross Graham flicked on and Clark sent a diving header into the empty net.Dundee responded well and grew into the game. A driven ball found Mullen, who inexplicably failed to convert from a yard out, albeit he had been flagged offside.There were plenty of flashpoints too. Ryan Edwards and Paul McGowan shared some choice words after a tackle turned into a wrestling match, and Watt and Adam clashed after the United forward went down dramatically after a fair but meaty challenge.Ten minutes into the second half United doubled their lead as Mulgrew whipped a sensational free-kick into the top corner.Their two-goal advantage was short-lived as Dundee hit back in stunning style. First, Mullen netted a header after Benjamin Siegrist flapped at the initial cross, presenting the Dundee striker with an empty net.Adam then unleashed a 25-yard thunderbolt to equalise, appearing to wrong-foot Siegrist with the amount of swerve he put on it.United still had a glut of chances to find a winner, with Marc McNulty missing from close range, Smith failing to connect with a fizzed cross, and Dylan Levitt’s strike whistling past the post.Niall McGinn nearly had the last word for Dundee, though, as he hit the top of the bar with a looping first-time effort from 20 yards.Man of the match – Charlie AdamA real captain’s performance to drag his side back into the contest after heads could have easily dropped. His goal was a sensational strike.What did we learn?Dundee United’s top-six aspirations were all but assured before kick-off but they will be disappointed to have stumbled over the line.With the amount of chances the home side had, particularly after the score went to 2-2, they should have consigned their rivals to defeat.Dundee have won just one of their last 18 league matches and survival looks an increasingly tall order. Raising your levels for a derby is one thing, but while they staged an admirable fightback it is wins they need at this stage of the season.What they saidDundee United head coach Thomas Courts: “Once the dust settles, we’ll try and take the positives from the full season, which has been a really challenging season with so many teams competing on different fronts.”To know that we’ve got this club back into the top six is a real moment to be proud of.”Dundee manager Mark McGhee: “The players can be proud of themselves. To fight back and come out with a draw, which is going to be a really valuable point going into the last five games, was fantastic.”We go in [to the post-split fixtures] with some amount of optimism that our performances give us some hope and we go in knowing that we’re going in fighting and that’s the main thing.”What’s next?Both teams now await the post-split fixtures to be released this week to discover their schedule for the final five games of the season.Player of the matchSmithLiam Smithwith an average of 6.80Dundee UnitedSquad number2Player nameSmithSquad number19Player nameLevittSquad number32Player nameWattSquad number29Player nameGrahamSquad number1Player nameSiegristSquad number4Player nameMulgrewSquad number10Player nameClarkSquad number7Player nameNiskanenSquad number12Player nameEdwardsSquad number6Player nameMcDonaldSquad number9Player nameMcNultyDundeeSquad number26Player nameAdamSquad number5Player nameSweeneySquad number2Player nameKerrSquad number24Player nameAndersonSquad number18Player nameMcMullanSquad number3Player nameMarshallSquad number6Player nameMcGheeSquad number15Player nameMulliganSquad number9Player nameMullenSquad number77Player nameMcGinnSquad number8Player nameByrneSquad number10Player nameMcGowanSquad number16Player nameElliottSquad number21Player nameLawlorLine-upsDundee UtdFormation 3-4-1-21Siegrist12Edwards4Mulgrew29Graham2Smith6McDonald19Levitt7Niskanen10Clark32Watt9McNulty1Siegrist12Edwards4Mulgrew29GrahamBooked at 58mins2Smith6McDonald19Levitt7NiskanenBooked at 35mins10Clark32WattBooked at 45mins9McNultySubstitutes3Spörle13Eriksson17Meekison20Neilson22Freeman26Mochrie33McMann46Thomson58Anim CudjoeDundeeFormation 4-3-321Lawlor2Kerr6McGhee5Sweeney3Marshall24Anderson8Byrne26Adam18McMullan9Mullen10McGowan21Lawlor2Kerr6McGhee5Sweeney3MarshallSubstituted forElliottat 81’minutes24Anderson8ByrneBooked at 45mins26AdamBooked at 45minsSubstituted forMulliganat 73’minutes18McMullan9Mullen10McGowanSubstituted forMcGinnat 45’minutesSubstitutes11McDaid15Mulligan16Elliott17McCowan20Rudden22Daley-Campbell30Sharp35Rossi77McGinnLive TextMatch ends, Dundee United 2, Dundee 2.Second Half ends, Dundee United 2, Dundee 2.Attempt missed. Josh Mulligan (Dundee) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Paul McMullan.Marc McNulty (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.Foul by Cammy Kerr (Dundee).Foul by Kevin McDonald (Dundee United).Max Anderson (Dundee) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Attempt blocked. Tony Watt (Dundee United) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Dylan Levitt.Attempt missed. Ryan Sweeney (Dundee) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Niall McGinn with a cross following a corner.Corner, Dundee. Conceded by Ross Graham.Attempt missed. Marc McNulty (Dundee United) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses the top right corner. Assisted by Ross Graham with a cross.Kevin McDonald (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Foul by Josh Mulligan (Dundee).Nicky Clark (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Foul by Josh Mulligan (Dundee).Substitution, Dundee. Christie Elliott replaces Jordan Marshall.Foul by Tony Watt (Dundee United).Daniel Mullen (Dundee) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Marc McNulty (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.Foul by Ryan Sweeney (Dundee).