St Mirren salvaged a degree from their journey to Tannadice however nonetheless slipped out of the Premiership top-six.
Dundee United striker Steven Fletcher used all his expertise to fireside the Terrors into an early lead, slotting dwelling a volley expertly from the sting of the field.
The Buddies battled again into the sport and thought they’d levelled within the second half when Richard Taylor’s header rustled the again of the online.
Whereas the offside flag denied that effort, Mark O’Hara made no mistake from the penalty spot to degree after Curtis Fundamental was clipped within the field.
Each side had probabilities to grab it, with United lacking two gilt-edged alternatives earlier than Alex Greive fired over the bar with the final kick of the sport.
The draw noticed Stephen Robinson’s males slip into seventh forward of the worldwide break, with their first recreation again a vital dwelling conflict with Livingston.
St Mirren had been searching a doubtlessly essential three factors in Dundee however acquired off to the worst doable begin after simply three minutes.
Taylor’s tried clearance solely teed up Fletcher, who took a contact on his proper foot earlier than smashing dwelling an outstanding volley together with his left into the underside nook previous Trevor Carson.
Marcus Fraser went into the guide for a cynical foul on the left wing as United continued to impress early on.
Keanu Baccus tried to copy Fletcher’s superb end on the ten minute mark however skewed large from distance because the Buddies tried to realize a foothold within the recreation.
The house facet had been nonetheless trying the extra prone to discover the online once more and had been inches away from doing simply that when Aziz Behich’s excellent effort sailed narrowly previous the submit with Carson scrambling.
Liam Smith was subsequent to go shut, slamming wastefully large after a cross fell at his toes on the again submit.
Greive, who netted at Tannadice final time round in August, tried his luck from distance however blasted effectively over the bar.
Loick Ayina slipped on the sting of the field to permit Curtis Fundamental a strike on purpose however his scuffed effort was comfortably held by Mark Birighitti.
St Mirren grew in confidence as the primary half progressed, with O’Hara heading a harmful Scott Tanser cross large as they pressed for an equaliser.
United had been at all times harmful with Fletcher main the road fantastically. The Scotland worldwide was near netting a second when he related with a McGrath nook, together with his deflected effort bouncing narrowly over the bar.
Robinson stored religion with the identical eleven because the Saints returned for the second half seeking to salvage one thing from the journey north.
The guests had been nonetheless struggling to create probabilities, with the primary critical probability of word of the second half coming simply earlier than the hour mark.
Greg Kiltie did effectively to manage a tough ball on the fitting wing earlier than pulling again to O’Hara. United skipper Ryan Edwards pulled off a vital clearance with the midfielder’s shot destined for the underside nook.
Tanser’s cross from the left flank discovered Greive however the New Zealand worldwide may solely direct his header large because the hosts clung on to their slender benefit.
St Mirren thought they’d levelled when Pressure’s pinpoint free-kick picked out Taylor, who powered a header previous Birighitti. A prolonged VAR test dominated out his effort, however the Buddies did not have for much longer to attend for an equaliser.
Loick Ayina clipped Fundamental as he burst into the field, with the penalty confirmed after one other lengthy anticipate the video officers.
O’Hara held his nerve, calmly sending Birighitti the incorrect technique to deliver the scores degree with simply quarter-hour left on the clock.
Behich and Saints substitute Thierry Small missed comparable probabilities to win it late on, with the previous blasting over at again submit earlier than the latter fired wildly over the bar.
Small was making his presence identified. The Southampton loanee burst previous his marker earlier than fizzing in a harmful cross that evaded everybody.
The teen was at it once more shortly after however Fundamental may solely ship a header large from one other promising cross.
St Mirren had eight minutes of stoppage time to try to discover a dramatic late winner.
However it was the Terrors who spurned two glorious probabilities to say all of the factors in stoppage time.
First Craig Sibbald noticed an preliminary shot blocked with substitute Kai Fotheringham firing the rebound off the submit.
Then Carson stood up magnificently to disclaim Mathew Cudjoe, producing a elegant one-handed save earlier than Ilmari Niskanen fired over the rebound with the purpose at his mercy.
The breathless second half nonetheless had one final probability up its sleeve, with Greive virtually netting with the final kick of the sport. His dipping volley agonisingly cleared the bar, with the Buddies having to make do with a degree.
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