Raith Rovers manager Gary Locke felt their terrific Tannadice comeback could have earned more than a draw.
The Kirkcaldy men looked all at sea after Willo Flood’s fine strike put Dundee United ahead after 17 minutes then a Cammy Smith penalty made it 2-0 on 23 minutes.
Even the most optimistic of Raith supporters must have feared the worst at that point as it appeared to be plain sailing for the Tangerines.
However, by the final whistle it was the home team who were on the rocks as the visitors launched wave after wave of attack.
Rovers blasted their way back into the match thanks to Jordan Thompson’s spectacular volley six minutes before half-time.
The visitors then deservedly equalised through another great strike, this time from Kevin McHattie on 72 minutes.
Thus this clash was turned on its head, leaving Locke to claim with some justification that it could have been even better for Rovers.
He said: “You could forget about the first 25 minutes but once we got that out the road I thought we played really well.
“We made a wee tactical change at 2-0 down and it got us back in the game.
“After that I think the boys were brilliant.
“We were very worried because we didn’t start the game well.
“We sat off them and let them play.
“You could see that United have quality players throughout their team so if you give them time on the ball they are going to cause you problems.
“But once we started to get tight on people and work harder off the ball we got back into the game.
“I would say that for a good hour we were different class.
“We came here to try and win the game.
“It’s a difficult place to visit and they are a fantastic team with fantastic players. So to go two down and then come back, showing the character we did, as a manager I am delighted.
“We scored two great goals.
“We were very fortunate to get Jordan Thompson from Rangers and he showed his class with that finish.
“I know Kevin McHattie very well and he does have that in his locker, to be fair to him.
“It was a tremendous strike and I have to say that after that we were the side that was going to go on and win the game.”
The only negative on the day for Rovers was the sight of assistant boss Darren Jackson being sent to the stand by referee Craig Thomson.
Locke didn’t see the incident, claiming: “To be honest, I was too busy watching the game.
“I will need to speak to Craig to see what the situation is.
“At the end of the day you want your assistant in the dugout.
“I will just have to wait and see what the referee says.”
United were unchanged for the side that started the 3-0 win over Ayr United the previous Saturday.
That meant there was no place for new arrival Frank van der Struijk, with the club confirming that the Dutchman has agreed a one-year deal.
Thankfully for Raith, a goalkeeping crisis was averted by the arrival of Northern Irishman Conor Brennan.
The former Kilmarnock shot-stopper was thrown straight in from the start after the deal was done in the morning.
The last league meeting between these teams was back on Mar 22, 1997 when United won 2-1 at Tannadice. In the home team that day was a certain Ray McKinnon.
There was controversy on seven minutes when United’s Smith went down in the box after being played in by Simon Murray.
Home fans shouted for a penalty for a foul by McHattie but not only did referee Thomson say no to the spotkick he booked Smith for simulation.
On 13 minutes, Brennan was the hero for Rovers when he saved from Murray, with the follow-up shot from Flood blocked.
Scott Fraser then should have done better with a header at the back post when found by a Jamie Robson cross from the left but he miscued.
United got the goal they deserved on 17 minutes.
Fraser floated a freekick in from the right aimed at Nick van der Velden but Raith defender McHattie headed the ball away.
It only got as far as Flood 20 yards out, though, and he blasted a low right-foot shot into the net to give Brennan no chance.
Raith tried to battle back on 20 minutes and Lewis Vaughan’s freekick from outside the box cleared United keeper Cammy Bell’s bar by a few inches.
However, it was 2-0 to the hosts on 23 minutes and this time it was definitely a penalty.
As Flood tried to tee up another shot inside the box, he was challenged by Raith’s Declan McManus, who wrapped his legs around the Irishman.
Ref Thomson agreed with the claims this time and Smith stepped up to slot the ball home.
On the half-hour, Kyle Benedictus got himself in a muddle just outside his own box and was caught in possession by Murray. The ball was then played to Van der Velden but thankfully for Raith and their player the flag went up for offside or it might well have been 3-0.
McHattie came close when his shot was deflected just past the post before Rovers got a glorious goal back.
It was an absolute cracker from 16 yards, with Thompson pouncing to volley home with his left foot after Bell had punched away a Vaughan freekick.
It nearly got even better for Raith three minutes after the break when United’s Coll Donaldson made a mess of a supposed clearance. The loose ball bounced towards McManus with his back to goal and he tried an overhead kick that Bell did well to block.
The Fife side had clawed their way right back into the match and were now causing United real problems.
The hosts threatened on 64 minutes, though, when Smith sprung forward from midfield and tried to play Murray clean through on goal but the United frontman couldn’t wriggle clear.
Murray was replaced by Tope Obadeyi on 67 minutes, while Raith introduced Rudi Skacel and Mark Stewart from the bench in place of Thompson and Vaughan two minutes later.
It was the visitors who were dominating the play now and it was no surprise that they levelled on 72 minutes.
With the United players falling further and further back, the ball broke to McHattie just outside the box and he let fly with a brilliant left-foot strike that gave Bell no chance.
Three minutes later Brennan did well to block a Van der Velden angled drive as United tried to regain the lead.
However, the Tangerines were left to pay the price for a flat second half display as Rovers left with a point that was the least they deserved in the end.
