Dundee vs Dundee United. Scottish Premiership.
The Scot Foam Stadium at Dens ParkAttendance11,585.
Dundee 1-2 Dundee United: Sam Dalby scores late winner at rivals to move third in Scottish Premiership
Report as Dundee United win 2-1 at rivals Dundee to move up to third in Scottish Premiership; Simon Murray scores second-half penalty to put hosts in front; Vicko Sevelj quickly equalises for visitors with header; Sam Dalby taps in late winner to complete dramatic turnaround
Thursday 2 January 2025 21:03, UK
Sam Dalby scored an 88th-minute winner as Dundee United produced a second-half turnaround to win 2-1 at rivals Dundee.
The visitors, now up to third in the Scottish Premiership, fell behind midway through the second period when Simon Murray slotted home a penalty after VAR had intervened for a handball by Kevin Holt.
However, Dundee United hit back within five minutes through Vicko Sevelj's close-range header at a long throw and then won it in dramatic fashion.
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Holt slid the ball across for on-loan Wrexham striker Dalby to tap in his 10th goal in 13 matches which sparked wild celebrations for the visiting supporters.
How Dundee Utd beat their rivals
The action started inside the first minute when Dalby had a header clawed away by Trevor Carson.
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Dundee had the best chance of the first half when Seb Palmer-Houlden's cutback set up Finlay Robertson but Ryan Strain cleared the wing-back's shot off the line and Oluwaseun Adewumi hit the rebound just wide on the turn.
Robertson twice went close from long range either side of Dalby turning the ball just wide from six yards after a knockdown.
Dundee were dominating possession and Palmer-Houlden turned a shot wide before Jack Walton saved Mo Sylla's shot at the second attempt.
Strain set up a good chance for United after beating two men on a surging run and setting up Kristijan Trapanovski but the midfielder's effort just cleared the bar.
United manager Jim Goodwin brought on centre-back Ross Graham for Trapanovski and matched the home side's 3-5-2 formation for the start of the second half.
Strain had a shot deflected wide but Dundee were soon ahead after referee Steven McLean was called to the monitor by video assistant Gavin Duncan after Murray claimed Holt had handled Palmer-Houlden's cross. McLean took his time before pointing to the spot and Murray sent Walton the wrong way.
The opener sparked a flurry of activity and Ross Docherty and Palmer-Houlden threatened at either end before Sevelj nodded home from close range after the Dundee forward had inadvertently set him up with a defensive header that went back the wrong way.
Palmer-Houlden soon had a chance to make amends after being set up by Lyall Cameron but Walton was out quickly to block the shot.
The play was end to end and Carson made a brilliant stop from Strain after the ball broke for the wing-back 10 yards out.
United sealed the win after Holt's run went untracked and Dalby got ahead of Luke Graham to slot home from close range.
Goodwin: We'll do everything to keep Dalby
Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin told Sky Sports:
"We're over the moon with the result. I don't know how many times I've had to mention the character within the group.
"Going a goal behind, I thought it was really harsh at the time. There's no way in the world Kevin Holt means to handball that. The players didn't feel sorry for themselves and got back in the game pretty early after the goal.
"Then we've committed a hell of a lot of bodies forward in the dying moments to try and win it. We weren't satisfied with taking a draw here.
"It's always a group effort. I don't really like talking about individuals but the strikers will always grab the headlines when they pop up with the goals.
"When we create chances, you always fancy Sam (Dalby) to get on the end of something. He's got a knack for putting himself in the right position. I knew coming up when we took him that he would be successful here.
"My hope was that we'd be able to tie him down to a lengthy contract but the more he keeps banging in these goals, the harder he's going to make that task for me.
"I'm not concerned by that at the moment. Dundee United supporters should enjoy having him while he's here. We'll do everything we can to try and keep him but I'm pretty sure he will have a lot of options in the summer."
Docherty: We should be celebrating a derby win
Dundee manager Tony Docherty told Sky Sports:
"Devastated. It's a game we should have won. We were really dominant in the game. We switched off, yes, we got the first contact, but we switched off. To lose it in the manner we lost it, it is really hard to take.
"It's probably naivety coming in, it's a young side. We need to deal with it better [long throw], we do it in training time and time again.
"We should be celebrating three points and a good derby win. Now, we'll have to have the players in tomorrow. We should have never lost. You can't feel sorry for yourselves, it's happened. In-game management has let us down and I am really angry, I am frustrated."
