Dundee 1-0 Dundee United

John Sutton scored the winning goal

Substitute John Sutton struck five minutes from the end to give Dundee victory over nine-man Dundee United.

United dominated the first half but failed to create many chances.

Chris Innes was sent off after the break, when he hauled down Steve Lovell on the edge of the box and Mark Wilson followed for a deliberate handball.

Barry Robson came close to giving United an unlikely win with a shot across the face of goal before Sutton headed home an Iain Anderson cross.

United manager Ian McCall had opted for an attacking line-up featuring Trinidad and Tobago international colleagues Jason Scotland and Collin Samuel.

Scotland international defender Paul Ritchie made his first start after months of injury problems.

Dundee manager Jim Duffy was without suspended defender Jonay Hernandez and dropped Bobby Mann to the bench.

In came Brent Sancho and Stephen McNally, who had both been acquitted of an assault charge in midweek.

Duffy was also forced to replace regular first-choice goalkeeper Derek Soutar with Kelvin Jack due to illness.

Scotland failed to bring his fellow Trinidad and Tobago international into the action, heading a Barry Robson cross wide from eight yards.

Robson then beat his man to cross from the right on to the head of Scotland but the striker failed to hit the target from eight yards out.

Jack was possibly lucky to only receive a booking in the seventh minute for handling outside the area as Scotland challenged for a bouncing ball.

The goalkeeper limped off with a thigh injury after 30 minutes, Soutar coming off the bench to take his place.

United were dominating possession, but an Iain Anderson struck a 30-yard free-kick that fell a few feet wide of the visitors' post.

Dundee made another change just before the break, with Garry Brady coming on for Steven Robb, who had picked up a knock a few minutes earlier.

The home side came close to breaking the deadlock immediately after the break, but goalkeeper Paul Jarvie saved superbly to turn an effort from Steve Lovell wide of the post.

Samuel squandered an opportunity for United when he completely missed his attempt to volley a Karim Kerkar cross to the back post.

United were reduced to 10 men after 55 minutes, Innes dragging Lovell to the ground on the edge of the box after a through ball from Fabian Caballero.

Wilson followed four minutes later, when the Scotland Under-21 international was ruled to have handled the ball deliberately as another through ball headed for Lovell.

Robson came close to giving United victory against the odds, taking the ball past two defenders but sending his shot across the face of goal and wide of the far post from 18 yards.

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Dundee: Jack (Soutar 30), McNally, Sancho, Hutchinson, Robb (Brady 44), McDonald, Smith, Fotheringham, Anderson, Lovell, Caballero (Sutton 79).
Subs Not Used: Mann, Larsen, Jablonski, Hegarty.

Booked: Jack, Lovell.

Goal: Sutton 86.

Dundee Utd: Jarvie, Wilson, Innes, Ritchie, Archibald, Kerkar (McCracken 57), McInnes, Brebner, Robson, Scotland (Grady 77), Samuel (Duff 65).
Subs Not Used: Hirschfeld, McIntyre, Robertson, Cameron.

Sent Off: Innes (55), Wilson (59).

Booked: Brebner, Ritchie, McInnes.

Att: 9,845

Ref: A Freeland