Loan signing Tony Andreu was the hero as United triumphed over Peterhead in the Irn Bru Cup at Tannadice.
But they needed extra-time to get the better of last season’s beaten finalists.
In an exciting tie the Tangerines grabbed the winner in this five goal thriller when Andreu, on loan from Norwich, headed home from a Blair Spittal cross just four-and-a-half minutes from the end of the 120.
What seemed an aged earlier United had made the perfect start with a spectacular goal inside the first minute.
After a neat passing move Nick van der Velden rolled the ball to Charlie Telfer who fired home from 30 yards.
The home side were dominating possession but just short of the half hour were shocked by an equaliser that saw the tie burst into life.
The visitors raided forward and Ryan Baptie fed Rory McAllister. The man United attempted to sign just last month equalised with an angled shot from 18-yards.
Five minutes later United were back in front as van der Velden accepted a pass from Blair Spittal and netted with a right-foot shot.
Peterhead were not lying down and just two minutes after that former Dundee man Leighton McIntosh set off on a run down the right then crossed for McAllister to net with a bulleted header.
Early in the second period new signings William Edjenguele saw a header brilliantly saved by Fraser Hobday.
Then van der Velden and Andreu also went close.
At the other end it took a superb Lewis Toshney block to deny McAllister his hat-trick.
It was a cracking tie and United almost edged ahead again when sub Simon Murray struck the bar with a 14-yard shot, then did the same with a header.
That meant extra-time and the chance for Andreu to become an instant hero.
This article originally appeared on the Evening Telegraph website. For more information, read about our new combined website.