Dundee United missed out on the chance to go top of the Premiership this afternoon after drawing 2-2 with Hamilton Accies at Tannadice.
The 7,109 fans inside the ground were treated to an incredible first-half.
United opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Mario Bilate took a throw-in to Nadir Ciftci who embarked on a run into the Hamilton box before rounding Accies keeper Michael McGovern to roll the ball into the net.
Midway through the half, Ciftci and Hamilton’s Darian MacKinnon clashed, with the pair being yellow carded by referee John Beaton.
Those bookings would prove fateful for both players.
In the 28th minute, Accies equalised when Mikael Antoine-Curier pounced on a United defensive error to lash the ball past home keeper Rado Cierzniak.
Before the Tangerines could restart the game, MacKinnon was given a second yellow followed by an inevitable red for over-zealous celebrations in front of the United dug-out.
In the 34th minute though, 10-man Accies sensationally took the lead when Tony Andreu hit a speculative 22-yard shot which flew under the diving Cierzniak’s body and into the back of the net.
United then went down to 10 men in the 40th minute when Ciftci punched the ball into the back of the Accies net with Mr Beaton sending him for an early bath.
However, seconds before half-time, the Tangerines equalised.
Gary Mackay-Steven sent a corner in from the left with Jarek Fojut sending a bullet header past McGovern.
The second half started quietly but Accies skipper Martin Canning had to look lively to head off his own line following a United attack in the 53rd minute.
Cierzniak then partly redeemed himself when he raced to the edge of his box to thwart Antoine-Curier and then pulled off a great save as Alister Crawford looked to net the rebound.
With the game petering out, United hearts were in their mouths in the 90th minute when Accies sub Mikey Devlin sent a powerful header just over Cierzniak’s crossbar.