United and Killie share spoils

Andy McLaren (right) celebrates his equaliser

Dundee United 1-1 Kilmarnock

Andy McLaren returned to haunt his old side when his equaliser gave Dundee United a share of the points in a poor game against Kilmarnock at Tannadice.

After an uneventful first half, Kris Boyd put the visitors into the lead in the 72nd minute.

That looked like it would be enough to take the points down to Ayrshire, but only two minutes later, McLaren was in the perfect position to hammer in a back-post volley to deprive his ex-team mates of a victory.

The home side had the better of the opening exchanges and Jim McIntyre had a good chance with a header from an Andy McLaren cross, but the striker's effort from 12 yards lacked conviction and landed wide.

Colin Nish had a half-chance when Peter Canero fired in a shot from the left but the big striker missed his kick allowing Mark Kerr to clear.

Moments later, as the game came to life, Martin Hardie put a header on target from a Canero cut-back but the ball hit the post and ricocheted back out before Nish blasted over.

In the 34th minute, Kilmarnock defender Sean Hessey was sloppy at the back with a cross-field pass, which handed Charlie Miller possession and he took a couple of strides before sending a low drive only inches past Killie keeper Francois Dubourdeau's right post.

Kris Boyd thought he had secured Killie the points

The visitors were first to create an opening after the restart - Hardie's curled left-foot shot from the right-hand side of the box drew a good save from Tony Bullock, who pushed the ball round the past for a corner.

Then Canero's powerful shot from 16 yards had Bullock tipping the ball over the bar at the expense of another corner.

In the 56th minute there was a scare for the home side when Chris Innes slipped inside his own box, losing possession to Stevie Fulton. But the former Hearts player's snap-shot went wide of Bullock's left-hand post.

Ten minutes later, Canero headed an Alan Mahood cross just over the bar from close range.

In the 72nd minute, the visitors took the lead when Fulton threaded a clever pass through into the box and the unmarked Boyd got the deftest of touches to take the ball past Bullock.

But two minutes later the home side equalised. A Miller cross from the left could only be headed on by Killie defender Greg Shields, and Andy McLaren was at the back post to slam a volley past Dubourdeau from six yards out.

United went all out for a winner, but the visitors held on for a point, which was all that either team deserved.

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Dundee Utd: Bullock, Duff, Innes, Griffin, Archibald, Kerr (Dodds 66), McInnes, Miller, McLaren, Scotland (Samuel 53), McIntyre, Samuel (Easton 90).

Subs Not Used: Gallacher, McCracken.

Kilmarnock: Dubourdeau, Hessey, Shields, Dindeleux, Fowler, Hardie, Locke (Mahood 66), Fulton, Canero, Nish (Invincibile 71), Boyd.

Subs Not Used: Meldrum, McSwegan, Dillon.

Booked: Locke, Mahood.

Att: 6,529

Ref: S Dougal