Dundee United came out on top in their basement battle with Ross County at Tannadice.
Prior to kick-off, this contest had been billed as a “must-win” game, with the Tangerines rock bottom of the Premiership and two points behind the Staggies.
The United players rose to the challenge, securing a vital victory thanks to a Connor Randall own goal, a Charlie Mulgrew header and a late Craig Sibbald strike to lift themselves up to 11th in the table, a point ahead of County with a game in hand.
United boss Liam Fox made three changes from the team that drew 2-2 with Hearts on Saturday with Mulgrew, Ross Graham and Sibbald coming in for Aziz Behich, Kieran Freeman and Arnaud Djoum.
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— Dundee United FC (@dundeeunitedfc) December 28, 2022
The home side were the first to threaten in the fifth minute when Liam Smith sent a cross in from the right with Ryan Edwards rising high to head just wide of County keeper Ross Laidlaw’s far post.
However, United took the lead just four minutes later.
Ian Harkes hit a superb cross field pass to Glenn Middleton on the left and his low cross took a deflection off Keith Watson with his unfortunate fellow defender Connor Randall turning the ball in on the line.
County then spurned a great chance to net an immediate equaliser when Owura Edwards burst straight through on goal, hitting his low shot past United keeper Mark Birighitti but wide of the post.
United came agonisingly close to doubling their advantage when Mulgrew hit a pinpoint free-kick from the left with Steven Fletcher rising high but his glancing header hit the post.
Shortly after, the Staggies also hit the woodwork courtesy of a Watson header cannoning off a post at a Dhanda corner.
The Tangerines had two quickfire chances just after the restart with Fletcher’s fierce volley blocked by Randall with the veteran striker then having another shot well saved by Staggies stopper Ross Laidlaw.
United keeper Birighitti then had to look lively as Edwards fired a wicked cross in from the right with the keeper injured in the act of snuffing out the danger but he was able to continue after treatment.
However, it was United who doubled their lead in the 70th minute.
Laidlaw did well to turn a Smith shot wide but Dylan Levitt produced a great delivery from the subsequent corner with Mulgrew bulleting a header past the County keeper.
The Staggies thought they had pulled one back through sub William Akio but after a VAR check the goal was ruled out for offside.
County were reduced to 10 men in the 85th minute when Edwards received a second yellow card followed by a red by referee Chris Graham.
The icing was put on the cake for United in the 96th minute when Sibbald fired a curling shot from the edge of the box into the back of the net.
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