Dundee United endured last minute heartbreak as they drew 1-1 against Kilmarnock.
Dylan Levitt looked to have secured all three points in Jack Ross’ first competitive game in charge of the Tangerines, lashing home a stunner on the cusp of half-time.
However, the game changed when Ian Harkes was dismissed after the break, forcing the visitors into a resolute rearguard action.
But they were finally breached when Ash Taylor fired home from point-blank range in the 90th-minute.
Key moments
The opening goal came when Levitt latched onto a sumptuous back-heel from Steven Fletcher and slammed a firecracker drive beyond Walker from the edge of the box.
Going back to last term, the silky Welshman has now scored six goals in his last 14 games.
Harkes’ dismissal ensured a nervy finale, while Oli Shaw saw a fizzing shot bounce off the underside of the bar and fail to cross the line.
The 10 men were agonisingly close to holding out for victory, but failure to clear a deep delivery in the dying embers was costly as Taylor fired into the roof of the net. Galling for the travelling Arabs.
United’s star man: Steven Fletcher
Levitt, Mulgrew and Craig Sibbald all shone in Ayrshire, but Fletcher made the visitors tick.
The former Scotland international was a fantastic focal point for United, linking up with Tony Watt and Harkes and allowing the Terrors to play some promising stuff in the final third.
United’s opener was Fletcher’s afternoon in microcosm, collecting the ball, evading opposition and showing wonderful awareness and technique to tee up Levitt.
Player ratings
Birighitti 6; Smith 6, Edwards 6, Mulgrew 7, McMann 5; Levitt 7, Sibbald 7, Harkes 5; Cudjoe 6 (Middleton 55, 4), Fletcher 7 (Niskanen 70, 3), Watt 6 (Graham 75, 3).
Manager under the microscope
Ross fielded the starting XI which turned in a heartening showing — even in defeat — against Fleetwood Town seven days prior. As expected, that meant a change from the 5-3-2 of last season to a 4-3-3.
There was a start for teenage winger Mathew Cudjoe; a bold call, given the experience of Ilmari Niskanen and Glenn Middleton on the bench.
Ross introduced Middleton for his debut after 55 minutes; an astute call as Cudjoe understandably showed signs of tiring.
And his decision to bring on Ross Graham for Watt following Harkes’ red card, going to a back-five, saw United come painfully close to holding out.
Man in the middle: Willie Collum
Harkes was dumbfounded by Collum’s decision to dismiss him deep into the second period.
Nevertheless, the sliding challenge for which he received a second caution — while not overly ferocious — was a risky one while carrying a booking.
His first yellow was also monumentally avoidable as he was penalised for impeding Killie keeper Walker.
Kilmarnock thought Shaw’s second-half drive had crossed the line after crashing off the underside of the bar — but replays are required to say definitively.
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