A moment of brilliance from Dylan Levitt saw Dundee United through to the last 16 of the Scottish Cup following an extra-time win against Kilmarnock.
The on-loan Manchester United midfielder produced an impressive piece of skill and an emphatic finish to earn United a 2-1 victory at Rugby Park.
Marc McNulty had put United into an early lead, but Rory McKenzie levelled and the cinch Championship side had the better of the chances in normal time as the 5,380 crowd got their full money’s worth in an entertaining cup tie.
Tam Courts handed a first start to Tony Watt following his move from Motherwell as the United head coach made five changes following the midweek defeat by St Mirren, their sixth loss on the trot.
Kyle Lafferty was on the bench after completing his return to Kilmarnock on Friday, while on-loan Hibernian midfielder Dylan Tait made his debut.
United got off to the perfect start when McNulty latched on to Scott McMann’s ball forward and raced away from the home defence to net off the far post. It was the striker’s first goal of the season in his second match since ending a four-month lay-off.
Ash Taylor had a header saved for the hosts, but Zach Hemming kept them in it by coming out quickly to deny Kieran Freeman.
The noisy visiting fans were silenced in the 20th minute when McKenzie latched on to Oli Shaw’s header-on and finished at the second attempt.
The home support sparked into life and they had further encouragement for the remainder of the half. Fraser Murray and McKenzie had shots saved before Shaw and Daniel MacKay shot wide from better chances.
The hosts had lost skipper Chris Stokes to injury in the first half, with Euan Murray on, and Derek McInnes waited less than eight minutes of the second half before introducing Lafferty for MacKay.
Killie had most of the second-half chances and they could not have come any closer when Taylor thought he had headed home a corner only for Nicky Clark to head clear. The home side claimed a goal with Clark’s feet behind the line, but his head was further forward and referee Willie Collum played on.
Shaw and McKenzie forced saves, Fraser Murray stabbed wide and Benjamin Siegrist scrambled Blair Alston’s long-range effort wide.
United almost won it towards the end of the 90 minutes when substitute Ilmari Niskanen hit the post following a slick move.
Watt blazed over from a first-time effort in the opening minute of extra time before forcing a good save from an angled drive 60 seconds later. Lafferty could not take a double chance at the other end.
The winner came in the 111th minute after Levitt collected Watt’s pass and engineered space to drill home.
Killie had chances to take the game to penalties. Shaw’s shot was cleared off the line and Taylor headed wide from six yards before Lafferty came close with a header.
