Livingston 1-1 Dundee Utd

Preston pleased with point McCall deflated by draw

Substitute Colin McMenamin earned Livingston a point with a late goal at the City Stadium.

Neither side could create much in a scrappy first-half but the visitors went in front from a Billy Dodds penalty after 61 minutes.

But McMenamin pounced to score in the 84th minute after Tony Bullock had saved a Derek Lilley header.

Paul Ritchie's return to the SPL with United lasted just 10 minutes after he was taken off with a shoulder problem.

It was United who were the first to threaten when, after 56 seconds, Mark Kerr latched onto a poor headed clearance to fire over when he should have done better.

Ritchie's clashed with Lilley and the former Hearts defender was unable to carry on.

The Scotland international left the field after 10 minutes holding his shoulder and was replaced by David McCracken.

Livi had been subdued in the early stages but Steve Boyack's well-flighted corner from the right in the 22nd minute was flicked on at the near post and Oscar Rubio's close-range shot flashed just wide of Tony Bullock's goal.

The Lions were showing more purpose now and former Tannadice midfielder Craig Easton spurned two good chances.

After Chris Innes and McCracken had made a meal of dealing with Burton O'Brien's run from midfield, the ball dropped to Easton with half the goal gaping.

Stuart Lovell tackles Mark Kerr

But he failed to control it in his stride though and the chance was gone.

Two minutes later, Easton was left alone on the penalty spot but could only direct a weak header at Bullock.

United re-asserted their control on the game just before the break and Barry Robson struck Roddy McKenzie's left-hand post with a solid shot.

Dodds scuffed the rebound wide while under pressure from David McNamee.

Home skipper Stuart Lovell ended the half with two strikes at goal, the first well saved by Bullock and the second well wide.

Livi barely touched the ball in the first 15 minutes of the second half and Jason Scotland's was brought down in the box by Dorado after wriggling free of the centre-half.

Dodds made no mistake from the penalty spot, sending the ball firmly into the right-hand corner of the net.

Livi were nearly gifted an equaliser on 75 minutes when a wicked deflection off Kerr had Bullock scrambling back onto his line but the ball landed on top of his net.

Ten minutes from the end, Scotland broke down the right and his perfect cross was headed wide by McLaren, who should have done better.

United were made to pay for that error when, with six minutes left, McMenamin knocked in the equaliser from close range after Bullock had brilliantly pushed Lilley's effort onto the bar.

An unmarked Lilley could have secured all three points for Livi in the 87th minute but headed wide from a fine cross from the right.

Livingston: McKenzie, McNamee, Rubio, Dorado, Stanic, Boyack (Dair 70), O'Brien, Easton, Lovell (McMenamin 70), Hamilton, Lilley. Subs Not Used: Meldrum, McLaughlin, Brittain, Snowdon, Libbra.

Goals: McMenamin 84.

Dundee Utd: Bullock, Wilson, Ritchie (McCracken 10), Innes, Archibald, Kerr, Duff, Dodds (McInnes 77), Robson (McLaren 72), McIntyre, Scotland. Subs Not Used: Hirschfeld, Bell, Holmes, Grady.

Goals: Dodds 61 pen.

Att: 3,659

Ref: W Young