Dundee United manager Jackie McNamara looked on in agony as his side all but scuppered their top-six dream by conceding a last-gasp equaliser to St Johnstone.
Three minutes into stoppage time at McDiarmid Park last night, the Tangerines were hanging on to a 1-0 lead that would have moved them into pole position to make it there in time for the SPL split. Kilmarnock are now odds-on to beat them to it.
Ryan Gauld (17) had scored his first goal for the Tannadice club on his starting debut, clipping the ball home after being found by a Mark Millar pass on 23 minutes.
The visitors were reduced to 10 men when midfielder Stuart Armstrong was sent off for a second bookable offence on 79 minutes.
It was backs-to-the-wall stuff after that for United, with goalkeeper Rado Cierzniak producing some wonderful saves.
They couldn’t quite make it over the line, though, with the big Pole finally beaten by a Liam Craig header three minutes into stoppage time. McNamara was understandably deflated that his players could not hang on.
“We were under pressure in the second half and were too deep at times,” he said.
“The sending-off gave them a lift. We probably should have seen that out. Our keeper Rado (Cierzniak) had a few saves and you began to think it was going to be our night. You think it was going to be there for you but we had to see it out.”
There was a real bright spot for the Tangerines in the starting debut and first club goal for young Gauld.
McNamara said: “There are positives for us and one was obviously young Ryan coming in and scoring on his starting debut.”
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