With league leaders Hibs having been held to a draw earlier on Saturday by Ayr, the early evening match against Raith Rovers was a golden opportunity for the Dundee United players to close the gap at the top to six points.
They seized the chance with both hands, securing a comfortable win – their first since Christmas Eve against St Mirren.
There were certainly plenty of positives to take from the game with on-loan Odense striker Thomas Mikkelsen grabbing all the headlines courtesy of his first two goals for the club.
However, he was the first to admit that he needs the right service and he received that from Paul Dixon who looked close to being back to his best on Saturday.
Tony Andreu also took his goal well and what a signing the Frenchman has proved.
With Hibs on Scottish Cup duty next weekend, United have another big chance to cut the gap again when they travel to face Peter Houston’s Falkirk.
While Ray McKinnon’s men continue to look up the way, Raith are now staring the relegation play-off spot fully in the face, sitting just four points in front of second bottom Ayr.
Rovers’ early-season promise has now fully evaporated with the Kirkcaldy side on a seemingly-unstoppable downward spiral.
They have now lost their last five league matches and once they had conceded the second goal at Tannadice, all the fight went out of them.
Tomorrow night’s game against Morton at home is a huge match for the Raith players and their manager Gary Locke.
