Dundee Utd 2-2 Dundee

Dundee's goalscorers congratulate each other

Dundee United battled back from two goals down at half-time to earn a draw in an action-packed Dundee derby.

Two second half goals, including a penalty, from veteran striker Billy Dodds kept United's hopes of a top six finish alive.

Goals from Steve Lovell and Steven Milne had given Dundee a well-deserved half-time lead.

However, Jim Duffy's men maintain their unbeaten record against their neighbours for this season.

United boss Ian McCall began the game looking for his first derby victory in what is likely to be the final Tayside head-to-head of the season.

His side had the first chance after eight minutes when Alan Archibald, who had been played in by Dodds, picked up a loose ball following Brent Sancho's challenge on him a split second earlier.

The former Partick man dug the ball out from under his feet and his shot looked to be dipping into the net until Julian Speroni tipped it over.

They came close to opening the scoring again, in the 14th minute, when Dodds got a head to an Andy McLaren cross but once again Speroni came to Dundee's rescue.

Hernandez (left) shields the ball from McLaren

The visitors then took the lead in fine style four minutes later through Steve Lovell.

Steven Milne drifted to the right flank and was in the perfect position to send a cross through the penalty area for his team-mate, who nodded into the net from 10 yards out.

Speroni showed great reflexes in the 26th minute to palm away Mark Wilson's free-kick after it missed everyone in the penalty area and bounced dangerously towards his top corner.

The Dundee defence were caught out again with a ball fired into the area, leaving McLaren's cross to bounce towards Jim McIntyre at the back post.

Luckily for Jim Duffy's men he did not anticipate getting the break and the chance spun away from him.

They added a second six minutes before the break, after yet another piece of suicidal defending from United.

Lovell picked out Milne through the middle and, with the home defenders missing, sprinted clear and sent a low shot past Gallacher.

Robb had a great chance to add Dundee's third a minute into the second half but, despite showing a great first touch to drag the ball away from Wilson, he was unable to find the target.

Steve Lovell opened the scoring

This woke United up and they carved out a decent chance moments later, but McIntyre could not find the target with a header from McLaren's cross.

McCall made his first change in the 55th minute, withdrawing the out-of-sorts McIntyre for Jason Scotland.

Scotland had an immediate impact and played a major role in United grabbing a lifeline.

He found space on the right and tried to send a low shot across Speroni.

The goalkeeper could only parry the ball into the path of Dodds, who raced in and bundled it into the net.

Mark Kerr then tested Speroni with a rasping shot from the edge of the penalty area before United made their second substitution, swapping Jim Paterson for McLaren.

United won a penalty with five minutes remaining, after Mark Fotheringham was penalised for a push on Dodds inside the area.

The ex-Rangers man picked himself up to net the equaliser.

Fotheringham was booked late on for his part in an unsightly melee involving both sets of players.

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Dundee Utd: Gallacher, Wilson, McCracken, Innes, Archibald, McLaren, Easton, Kerr, Robson, McIntyre, Dodds.
Subs: Jarvie, James Paterson, Samuel, Duff, Scotland.

Dundee: Speroni, Mackay, Sancho, Mair, Hernandez Santos, Barrett, Brady, Fotheringham, Robb, Milne, Lovell.
Subs: Soutar, McNally, Hegarty, Clark, Cameron.

Referee: J Rowbotham (Scotland)