Dundee United hit Arbroath for six as the Tangerines celebrated the centenary of their name change in scintillating style.
Louis Moult bagged a brace, adding to goals from Ross Docherty, Kai Fotheringham, Tony Watt and Mathew Cudjoe, extending United’s lead at the summit to the Championship to seven points.
Jim Goodwin’s men are now unbeaten in their last 14 matches in all competitions and have scored 11 goals in their last two matches.
Party atmosphere
Predictably, United named the same side that hammered Partick Thistle 5-0 last time out. Declan Glass returned to the match-day squad after missing out at Firhill through injury. Arbroath, meanwhile, replaced Joao Balde with Kenan Dunnwald-Turan.
There was ample pomp and ceremony prior to kick-off as the Tangerines celebrated 100 years since their first match as Dundee United FC, having previously been known as Dundee Hibernian.
Doris McLean, the widow of Tannadice icon Jim McLean, was afforded a raucous welcome as she brought the match-ball onto the field, while the DUFC Display Team added to their growing collection of impressive tifos (below).
The Lichties — unhappy this fixture was moved to a Friday night in the first place — were determined to play party poopers and prove their 4-0 opening day hammering at the hands of the Terrors was a mere blip.
An explosive start
United thought they had claimed the lead after two minutes when a whipped Glenn Middleton delivery was blocked by Lichties keeper Derek Gaston — amid vociferous claims that the ball had cross the line.
United then saw a Moult goal disallowed for offside, with the Englishman tapping home a Middleton cross to no avail.
However, the hosts — sporting a one-off white jersey akin to their 1923 shirt — were soon rewarded for their flying start, with a strike eerily similar to the one that had been flagged minutes earlier.
Middleton again found himself in space on the left flank and his pin-point low cross was converted by Moult.
United doubled their advantage with a quarter of an hour on the clock. A deflected Kai Fotheringham cross fell kindly to Docherty and the Tannadice skipper produced a delightful shimmy before smashing the ball into the roof of the net.
Welcoming the legends home
While a torrential downpour fell on DD3, a deluge of goals was being threatened.
A brief foray forward by Arbroath saw Michael McKenna fire a decent opportunity wide of the post, before Lichties right-back Aaron Steele — tortured by Middleton for 30 minutes — was hooked for Colin Hamilton.
However, the home side ended the game as a contest on the cusp of half-time, with Gaston making a hash of a Scott McMann cross, parrying it against Fotheringham’s thigh — and leaving the youngster with a tap-in.
A host of United legends of yesteryear were paraded at half-time, including Paul Hegarty, Iain Ferguson, Andy Rolland, John Holt and Maurice Malpas.
Mark Reynolds, the last man to captain the Tangerines to the Championship title, was also presented to the fans. It appears increasingly inconceivable that Docherty will not take that crown at the end of the season.
United put on a show
United goalkeeper Jack Walton — so rarely worked in recent games — showcased his concentration and quality with a superb save with his legs to thwart McKenna.
However, that only prompted Jim Goodwin’s men to put their foot on the gas once more.
Fotheringham was slipped through on goal by Tony Watt and, while Gaston made a fine block, Watt was on hand to slam home the rebound after a delightful flick over the challenge of his marker.
United made it five through Moult, with a carbon copy of his first goal; once again converting a sublime Middleton cross.
Star man: Glenn Middleton (Dundee United)
Middleton is flying.
The former Rangers and St Johnstone man now boasts SEVEN assists and one goal from his last five games, having laid two on a plate for Moult.
The confidence is oozing out of him and, allied with his deadly delivery from set-plays, there are few more dangerous propositions in this division — if any — at the moment.
His eight Championship assists is the most in the SPFL.
Player ratings
Dundee United (4-4-2): Walton 7; Grimshaw 7, Gallagher 7 (Graham 70), Holt 7, McMann 8; Fotheringham 8 (Cudjoe 61), Sibbald 7 (Mochrie 76), Docherty 8 (Tillson 70), Middleton 9; Watt 8 (Glass 61), Moult 8. Subs not used: Newman, Denham, Freeman, Moore.
Arbroath (4-3-3): Gaston 5; Steele 3 (Hamilton 28, 5), Little 6, O’Brien 6, Stewart 5; Slater 5 (Norey 74), Gold 5, McKenna 6; Hylton 6, Bird 5 (Macintosh 61), Dunnwald-Turan 4 (Stowe 61). Subs not used: Adams, Jacobs, Balde, Lyon.
Att: 8489
Ref: Colin Steven
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