Dundee United began life after relegation by hanging on for a narrow win against Inverness Caley Thistle in the Highlands.
Without a manager after Mixu Paatelainen’s sacking and with all but a handful of their squad having been told they are surplus to requirements, United got off to a brilliant start when striker Simon Murray lashed the ball home from 30 yards on just six minutes.
Murray made it two a couple of minutes into first-half stoppage time with a rather scrappier effort but they all count.
Remarkably, Edward Ofere made it 3-0 on 55 minutes before Jordan Roberts grabbed one back for the hosts just a minute later.
Liam Polworth then tapped in on 69 minutes after some terrible goalkeeping from United’s Eiji Kawashima to make it 3-2.
The visitors then had defender Callum Morris sent off for two bookings within the space of three minutes but they managed to cling on.
The result may not have saved United from the drop – that ship has sailed – but it did give them their first win since the 1-0 success against St Johnstone on April 2 and only their seventh in the league all season.
Perhaps surprisingly, considering the week that was, assistant boss Gordon Young made only two changes to the line-up that started the match against Dundee.
Out went skipper Paul Paton and Blair Spittal, with former ICT striker Billy Mckay and Morris coming back into the side.
There was a sprinkling of youngsters on the bench, though, with Ali Coote (17), Jamie Robson (18), Justin Johnson (19) and Matt Smith (19) all hoping to get their chance.
With just 30 seconds on the clock, the visitors were on the attack.
Murray sent Ofere free on the left and the big striker cut in and let fly with a shot that ICT goalie Owain Fon Williams couldn’t hold.
Scott Fraser tried to pounce on the loose ball but fell to the floor as Fon Williams tried to gather, referee Don Robertson ignoring the penalty appeal.
On four minutes, Miles Storey had a shot for Caley but the flag was up for offside and Kawashima saved anyway.
Just a couple of minutes later, a piece of magic from Murray had the Tangerines 1-0 up.
There appeared to little threat to the hosts when the former Arbroath man picked up the ball 30 yards out but he suddenly let fly with a sweet right-foot shot that gave Fon Williams no chance.
It was a wonderful strike and one which lifted the spirits of the hardy, noisy band of United fans who had travelled so far to support their team.
On 27 minutes, the home team almost levelled when Storey found space inside the box but Kawashima pulled off a fine double save to keep the Tannadice men ahead.
Roberts sent Storey clear as ICT went on the attack on 34 minutes and the striker hit the post, only to discover he had been ruled offside.
Ofere tried his luck with a freekick just but Fon Williams made a comfortable save.
Kawashima made a spectacular leap to push a long-distance rocket shot from Storey over the bar before United went 2-0 on in first-half stoppage time.
Murray was the main man once again.
Almost out of nothing, Mckay made room inside the Inverness box and, when his snap-shot was saved by Fon Williams the ball broke to Murray.
His strike hit Josh Meekings but still made it over the line to make it an excellent half for the Tangerines.
Incredibly, the visitors were 3-0 up on 55 minutes.
Mckay raced down the left wing before cutting the ball back across the face of goal and Ofere sidefooted it into the net.
Just a minute later, though, ICT got one back when Roberts shrugged off some weak challenges then drilled the ball past Kawashima.
The Japanese international then blundered on 69 minutes when he flapped his hands at a harmless-looking shot from Roberts. The loose ball landed in front of the grateful Polworth, who netted from a yard out.
United seemed determined to self-destruct and they lost Morris to a couple of quickfire bookings.
On 75 minutes he fouled Andrea Mutombo then, just three minutes later, hauled down Roberts to earn the red.
Ofere headed wide for the Tangerines with three minutes to go and, to their credit, they somehow made it to the final whistle.
Attendance: 2,587.
Inverness Caley Thistle: Fon Williams, Tremarco, Warren, Meekings, Draper, Roberts (D. Williams 83), Devine (R. Williams 86), Tansey, Polworth (Foran 76), Mutombo, Storey. Subs not used: Esson, Raven, Foran, Horner, Hughes.
Dundee United: Kawashima, Dillon, Dixon, Morris, Mckay, Rankin, Ofere, Knoyle, Murray (Coote 77), Durnan (Donaldson 74), Fraser. Subs not used: Zwick, Johnson, Robson, Smith.
Referee: Don Robertson.
