Dylan Levitt booked Dundee United’s place in fifth round of the Scottish Cup with a stunning extra-time winner at Kilmarnock.
The Manchester United loan star danced past several Kilmarnock defenders to net a 112th minute strike.
United went in front early on through Marc McNulty but were forced into extra-time by a Rory McKenzie leveller.
Dundee United fans called for changes after a sixth successive defeat on Tuesday – at home to St Mirren.
Many were baffled by the decision to start with new £100,000 striker Tony Watt on the bench.
Others questioned Tam Courts for keeping Kieran Freeman off the park until the 68th minute.
Both started at Kilmarnock as Courts made five changes.
🆕 📋 | Here's how we line-up to face Kilmarnock in the Fourth Round of the @ScottishCup…
✍️ A first start for Watt
🏴 Levitt keeps his place in midfield
🦁 Academy graduate Freeman returns to the XI#UnitedTogether pic.twitter.com/NuT1giw2xa— Dundee United FC (@dundeeunitedfc) January 22, 2022
Freeman and Watts were joined by Adrian Sporle, Calum Butcher and Nicky Clark in the starting XI.
Lewis Neilson, Jeando Fuchs, Ian Harkes, Ilmari Niskanen and Peter Pawlett all dropped to the bench.
United took an impressive 1,800 fans to Killie and it wasn’t long before they were celebrating their first goal in the new limited edition kit.
It’s 1-0 @dundeeunitedfc already. Marc McNulty off the mark with a cool finish. pic.twitter.com/wGFcrdcV3S
— Ewan Smith (@ewansmithpr) January 22, 2022
McNulty beat the offside trap to go one-on-one with Zach Hemming in under three minutes.
He’s waited 12 games for a goal and all of that would have preyed on his mind at that very moment.
But this was as cool a finish as you’ll see as he slotted it in off the post.
At the other end Benjamin Siegrist produced a stunning save to turn away an Ash Taylor header.
Kieran Freeman inspires visitors
Freeman was causing the Killie defence all sorts of problems and he could have scored on 15 minutes.
A clever through ball from Watt sent the United academy graduate clear only for Hemming to block his effort.
But Killie drew level in 20 minutes as Rory McKenzie netted a rebound after Siegrist blocked his initial 15 yard strike.
And Oli Shaw could have made it 2-1 Killie in 34 minutes as he robbed Scott McMann of the ball only to fire wide from 18 yards.
United on top in the early stages but the hosts finish the first half stronger#UnitedTogether | #ScottishCup pic.twitter.com/6g05YDsdzO
— Dundee United FC (@dundeeunitedfc) January 22, 2022
Kilmarnock were the better team in the second period.
It took heroic defending from United skipper Ryan Edwards to block Killie in 65 minutes.
Edwards headed a Taylor header off the line.
United added reinforcements and one of them – Ilmari Niskanen – cracked a low drive off the post in 85 minutes.
The game went to extra-time and only a superb fingertip save from Hemming denied Watt from making it 2-1 in 96 minutes.
No goals in the first period of extra-time#UnitedTogether | #ScottishCup pic.twitter.com/0IGd3aVudi
— Dundee United FC (@dundeeunitedfc) January 22, 2022
But United saved the best for last.
A brilliant slip pass by Peter Pawlett set up Levitt and he danced his way through the Killie defence before drilling home a low 112th minute winner.
Teams for Kilmarnock v Dundee United
Kilmarnock: Hemming; Sanders, Taylor, Stokes (Euan Murray 39), Haunstrup (Burke 84), McKenzie, Alston (Polworth 95), Fraser Murray, Tait, MacKay (Lafferty 53), Shaw. Subs: Walker; Hodson, Waters, McGinn, Armstrong..
Dundee United: Siegrist, Freeman, Sporle (Niskanen 53), McMann, Edwards (, Muglrew, Butcher, Levitt, Clark (Pawlett 72), McNulty (Appere 79), Watt. Subs: Eriksson; Neilson, Glass, Harkes, Mochrie, Fuchs.
Referee – Willie Collum
EXCLUSIVE: Marc McNulty insists Dundee United is a happy camp and vows to help the fans smile again
