Raith Rovers cut the gap at the summit of the Championship to a single point following an outrageous late winner by Scott Brown.
The Kirkcaldy captain climbed from the bench to unleash a ferocious dipping drive beyond the grasping Jack Walton from all of 30 yards; Brown’s first goal of the season and he won’t score a better – nor more important – one.
The sensational strike was a fitting way to decide a thriller in Fife under the Friday night lights.
Zak Rudden opened the scoring for the hosts and, following a swathe of opportunities for both sides, Louis Moult hit back from close-range.
United enjoyed the majority of possession and chances in the second half but a mix of wayward finishing and a solid showing from Kevin Dabrowski – sponsors’ man of the match – kept the visitors out.
And Brown would have the final say, ending Rovers’ five-game losing run in the most dramatic fashion imaginable.
A breathless beginning
The sides were welcomed a raucous crowd of 7,923, the largest attendance at Stark’s Park since 9,745 fans watched Rangers defeat the Rovers 6-0 in April 1997.
And United were first to threaten when Scott McMann lashed a speculative effort over the crossbar of Dabrowski.
At the other end, Rudden, on loan from the Tangerines’ city rivals Dundee, warmed the palms of Jack Walton with a powerful drive from a prohibitive angle.
The opening stages were predictably breathless – and Tony Watt was next to force a sharp stop from Dabrowski following a slick move involving Glenn Middleton and McMann.
Given the breakneck pace of the contest, an early opener seemed inevitable.
And Rovers claimed it.
Rudden showed outstanding attacking instincts to meet a low Liam Dick delivery at the near post and, despite a hint of offside, his flicked shot drifted over Walton and into the far corner of the net.
The Dens Park marksman lapped up the celebrations in front of the 3,645 Arabs in attendance.
Moult on the mark
Moult lashed a wild drive over the bar following a neat Kai Fotheringham touch in the box, as the visitors sought immediate parity.
The scoring was evidently not finished for the night.
Mullin passed up a chance to double the hosts’ advantage when he intercepted Graham’s errant clearance, but lashed his shot wide. Rudden was inches away from a tap-in at the back post and booted the woodwork in frustration.
Mullin was thwarted again when he hared onto a wonderful Rudden through-ball following outstanding hold-up play by the big striker, only for Walton to make a pivotal low save.
United drew level as half-time approached when a David Wotherspoon corner found Graham, and his header was instinctively turned home by Moult for his 12th goal of the season.
Rovers’ players were left aggrieved, feeling Graham pushed an arm into the face of Dick to win the tussle.
Only a wonderful point-blank save by Dabrowski stopped Middleton from completing the turnaround minutes later. Ian Murray’s men needed the half-time break.
A delightful decider
Wotherspoon, purring in the United engine room, found Watt on the edge of the box as United continued on the ascendancy after the break, but the striker’s left-footed drive zipped inches over the bar.
Graham then directed a header wide of the post from another fine Wotherspoon delivery.
Jack Hamilton was lucky not to see a more severe punishment for a bizarre lunge on Walton as the United goalkeeper shepherded the ball out of play; the forward nowhere near the ball.
As a fraught, fiery contest entered the final 15 minutes, Louis Vaughan saw a free-kick from 25 yards deflected wide of Walton’s post.
But that would be a temporary reprieve for Goodwin’s charges, with Brown smashing a thunderous effort past Walton in the dying embers.
Dabrowski made a fine save to deny Kevin Holt as United threw everyone forward in injury time, but Raith held firm.
Title race well and truly on.
Star man: Keith Watson (Raith Rovers)
The defender was sorely missed during his lengthy lay-off, especially in recent weeks when Rovers couldn’t buy a win.
Two weeks after completing his first 90 minutes since September, he took the captain’s armband for this one and led the team to a massive victory.
There were many interventions from the experienced centre-back, none more so than when he threw himself in front of Fotheringham’s shot for a crucial first-half block.
And he was a rock as United enjoyed plenty of pressure after the break.
Player ratings
Raith Rovers (4-2-3-1): Dabrowski 8; J. Brown 6, Watson 8, Murray 7, Dick 6; Byrne 7 (S. Brown 73), Stanton 7 (Matthews 86); Mullin 6 (Easton 73’), Vaughan 6, Smith 7 (Connolly 73); Rudden 7 (Hamilton 59). Subs not used: McNeil, Corr, Turner, McGill.
Dundee United (4-2-3-1): Walton 7; Grimshaw 6, Graham 7, Holt 7, McMann 7; Wotherspoon 8 (Mochrie 80), Sibbald 7; Fotheringham 6 (Thomson 90), Watt 7, Middleton 7 (Cudjoe 90); Moult 7 (Greive 75). Subs not used: Newman, McClelland, Tillson, Meekison, MacLeod.
Ref: Don Robertson
Att: 7,923
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