Highlights - Dundee Utd v St Johnstone

By Keir Murray

A second-half David Goodwillie stabbed shot gave Dundee United victory in a tetchy encounter at Tannadice.

The United striker had stung the palms of Peter Enckelman in the first half with a fierce shot, but the Saints goalie was beaten on the hour mark.

St Johnstone went close from a Danny Grainger free-kick and a Marcus Haber header, both of which were saved by the impressive Dusan Pernis.

As Saints advanced, Enckelman denied Goodwillie in the 94th minute.

The instruction to the St Johnstone players from manager Derek McInnes must surely have been to play the match at a high tempo and deny the hosts time on the ball.

United were taken to extra-time by Ross County in Dingwall in the Co-operative Insurance Cup in midweek and did not return to Dundee, albeit victorious, until the early hours of the following morning.

Saints, meanwhile, enjoyed a 3-0 win over Queen of the South at McDiarmid Park.

But it was United who looked the fresher in the opening minutes, forcing a couple of corners to get the home fans in the sunshine in the mood for a Saturday afternoon's entertainment.

Their ascendancy did not last for long, though. Jody Morris and Murray Davidson passed the ball well in midfield and streaking forward in front of them they had a player with a point to prove - Jennison Myrie-Williams, the former United man.

It is 10 years since St Johnstone last won a league game at Tannadice. If they were to smash that dismal record, the Perth Saints would have to get past United defenders Scott Severin, Garry Kenneth and Darren Dods, the latter a member of that Saints team a decade ago.

At one point midway through the first half Myrie-Williams evaded four half-hearted challenges and worked his way into a shooting position to the left of the goal, only to blast into the side netting.

Davidson smacked a volley over the bar from 20 yards as the Perth side kept Pernis on his toes.

And it was the Slovakian goalkeeper who kept the score at 0-0 in the 27th minute when he made a great block from Andy Jackson.

At the other end, United looked to be missing the ammunition provided by injured wide players Danny Swanson and Craig Conway.

Saints' Jennison Myrie-Williams tussles with former team-mate Morgaro Gomis

However, Goodwillie, buoyed by his performance in Dingwall, was a persistent threat to Michael Duberry and Alan Maybury but he and Jon Daly were craving good quality balls in the box.

Fed-up waiting for service, Goodwillie strayed deeper and close to half-time picked up the ball, drove at the Saints goal and blasted a shot at Peter Enckelman, which he parried.

In the second half, Saints' left back Grainger thumped an angled free-kick straight at the top corner of the net from 25 yards, but was denied a goal by the athleticism of Pernis.

The deadlock was broken a few minutes later when Goodwillie proved to be the sharpest to react to a loose ball in the box, and poked home from six yards under Enckelman for his third goal of the season.

But the United striker upset the visitors when he won a free-kick with a theatrical dive at the edge of the box.

St Johnstone's Steven Anderson, on for Maybury, Morris and Duberry were booked for their protestations by referee Brian Winter.

Haber, a 64th-minute replacement for Jackson, almost pulled Saints level with a header that was thwarted by a terrific save by Pernis, who tipped the ball over the bar.

Much of the remainder of the game was scrappy, with Goodwillie polarising opinion in the stands as he attracted pantomime cheers and boos from the home and away fans respectively whenever he touched the ball.

The match ended in controversy when the referee appeared to show Anderson a second yellow card but it was not followed by a red and the defender remained on the pitch.

The win puts United four points ahead of their Tayside rivals in the Scottish Premier League.

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