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Stevie May scored twice to give St Johnstone victoryDundee United remain bottom of the Scottish Premiership after a grotesque Mark Birighitti mistake gifted St Johnstone victory at Tannadice.
Just a minute after Dylan Levitt's fine strike had cancelled out Stevie May's first-half volley, the goalkeeper gifted May his second of the game after dwelling on a Charlie Mulgrew back pass and being charged down by the striker.
Birighitti went off injured in the immediate aftermath and St Johnstone saw out the final few minutes to move 10 points clear of United.
The defeat - a fifth in a row - heightens the pressure on United head coach Liam Fox, whose side stay a point behind Ross County and three adrift of Kilmarnock and Motherwell, albeit with a game in hand.
Jubilant scenes have been fleeting at Tannadice this season, but pre-match celebrations remembering the good old days of 1983 - when Dundee United won their sole league title - allowed fans to express some exuberance.
The current United crop appeared inspired by the legends who graced the pitch before them. Steven Fletcher attempted an ambitious effort almost immediately, before he skewed some more straightforward attempts on goal.
The returning Aziz Behich and youngster Kai Fotheringham on his first start added to the pack of misses, which the hosts were promptly left to rue as May dealt a sucker punch.
St Johnstone had barely ventured into their attacking quarter when Melker Hallberg broke into space and whipped in a neat ball for May to connect with on the volley and flash into the middle of the unconvincing Birighitti's goal.
There may have been cheers prior to kick-off, but at half-time jeers rung around the ground and will have met the ears of owner Mark Ogren, who had flown over from America.
The openness of the contest continued after the break, but so did United's inability to have something to show for their possession.
Nicky Clark stung the palms of his former team-mate Birighitti as St Johnstone routinely looked hungry on the counter, following Daniel Phillips' goalline clearance after a scrappy scramble.
Levitt appeared to have snatched United a precious point with a pin-point strike from distance, but Callum Davidson's side promptly restored their lead.
May chased down Birighitti in his own goalmouth after he took a far too heavy touch from a back pass, and sliding in to bundle the ball into the net and leave the goalkeeper sprawling.
Line-ups
Dundee Utd
Formation 4-3-3
- 1BirighittiSubstituted forNewmanat 85'minutes
- 2Smith
- 27Ayina
- 4MulgrewBooked at 55mins
- 16Behich
- 19Levitt
- 10Djoum
- 14Sibbald
- 18McGrathSubstituted forMacleodat 76'minutes
- 9Fletcher
- 25FotheringhamBooked at 54minsSubstituted forAnim Cudjoeat 90+2'minutes
Substitutes
- 3McMann
- 6Graham
- 7Niskanen
- 20Anaku
- 22Freeman
- 28Anim Cudjoe
- 31Newman
- 39Thomson
- 44Macleod
St Johnstone
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Matthews
- 5MitchellBooked at 45mins
- 6Gordon
- 2Brown
- 14Wright
- 18MacPherson
- 34PhillipsBooked at 34mins
- 22HallbergSubstituted forCareyat 80'minutes
- 19Montgomery
- 37ClarkSubstituted forMcLennanat 76'minutes
- 7MaySubstituted forRuddenat 90+2'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Gallacher
- 10Wotherspoon
- 16Rudden
- 17Bair
- 20Sinclair
- 21Crawford
- 23Carey
- 26McLennan
- 29Murphy
Referee:Kevin Clancy
Attendance:9,796
Live Text
Match ends, Dundee United 1, St. Johnstone 2.
Second Half ends, Dundee United 1, St. Johnstone 2.
Steven Fletcher (Dundee United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by James Brown (St. Johnstone).
Attempt saved. Cameron MacPherson (St. Johnstone) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match because of an injury Graham Carey (St. Johnstone).
Mathew Anim Cudjoe (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Connor McLennan (St. Johnstone).
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Substitution, Dundee United. Mathew Anim Cudjoe replaces Kai Fotheringham.
Substitution, St. Johnstone. Zak Rudden replaces Stevie May.
Delay in match because of an injury Liam Gordon (St. Johnstone).
Attempt blocked. Graham Carey (St. Johnstone) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Stevie May.
Attempt missed. Rory Macleod (Dundee United) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Arnaud Djoum.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Substitution, Dundee United. Jack Newman replaces Mark Birighitti because of an injury.
Delay in match because of an injury Mark Birighitti (Dundee United).
Goal! Dundee United 1, St. Johnstone 2. Stevie May (St. Johnstone) right footed shot from very close range to the bottom right corner.
Goal! Dundee United 1, St. Johnstone 1. Dylan Levitt (Dundee United) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Loick Ayina.
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Dundee United
Squad number1Player nameBirighitti
Squad number2Player nameSmith
Squad number27Player nameAyina
Squad number4Player nameMulgrew
Squad number16Player nameBehich
Squad number19Player nameLevitt
Squad number10Player nameDjoum
Squad number14Player nameSibbald
Squad number18Player nameMcGrath
Squad number9Player nameFletcher
Squad number25Player nameFotheringham
Squad number28Player nameAnim Cudjoe
Squad number31Player nameNewman
Squad number44Player nameMacleod
St Johnstone
Squad number1Player nameMatthews
Squad number5Player nameMitchell
Squad number6Player nameGordon
Squad number2Player nameBrown
Squad number14Player nameWright
Squad number18Player nameMacPherson
Squad number34Player namePhillips
Squad number22Player nameHallberg
Squad number19Player nameMontgomery
Squad number37Player nameClark
Squad number7Player nameMay
Squad number16Player nameRudden
Squad number23Player nameCarey
Squad number26Player nameMcLennan
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