Dundee United showed once again they have both depth of character and quality, the much-changed Tangerines grabbing a valuable point in a goalless draw against Rangers at Tannadice despite being reduced to 10 men.
Mihael Kovacevic was the guilty party, seeing red for lashing out at Rangers striker Kyle Lafferty.
The Tangerines’ season is bubbling along nicely, with a place in the Active Nation Scottish Cup final secured and a spot in Europe looming large on the horizon.
They have been helped along the way by their ability to battle in adversity and having the option of quality cover in every position.
Both factors were to the fore last night, as acknowledged by manager Peter Houston.
“I think it would have been thoroughly undeserved had we lost the match,” he said.
“I am not saying we deserved to win it but I thought we merited a draw.
“We worked ever so hard and, after making so many changes, asked the guys who have been waiting for a chance to give us a shift.
“They can be proud of themselves tonight and have given me a pleasant selection headache.
“One thing about our boys is they give you everything every week.”
As promised, Houston made a host of changes to the line-up that started the semi-final against Raith Rovers on Sunday.
Out went on-loan Ranger Andy Webster, the injured Paul Dixon, Danny Swanson, Craig Conway, Jon Daly and David Goodwillie.
In came Garry Kenneth, Kovacevic, David Robertson, Jeno Myrie-Williams, Danny Cadamarteri and Francisco Sandaza.
As for Kovacevic’s dismissal, Houston argued that the player would be the one to suffer.
“I think Mihael got himself involved rather stupidly. I didn’t see what went on before but my backroom staff saw him flick his leg out. As soon as you do that you get a straight red card.
“That is his problem because I gave him the opportunity but he will be the sorry one because we have Keith Watson and Sean Dillon who can both play right-back. He now has to try to get his place back.”
Man-of-the-match Kenneth revealed Kovacevic apologised to his team-mates afterwards.
“That probably tells me that it was a sending-off,” he said.
“But we hung on and got the draw, which was the main thing.
“The two Old Firm teams still have to come here and if we kick on then I don’t see why we can’t catch Celtic.”
The visitors opened brightly, with Steven Davis firing a free-kick over the bar on five minutes.
Home skipper Darren Dods then did well to sweep up after Steven Naismith broke into the box following his skinning of Kovacevic out on the left.
However, it was United who came within a whisker of a goal on 16 minutes when Kenneth smashed a 35-yard strike at keeper Allan McGregor, who only stopped the ball with his outstretched right boot.
It was a scrappy affair, with neither side really finding fluency, but the Tangerines were keeping their fans happy by snapping at the heels of the opposition any time they themselves lost possession.
Cadamarteri sent a snap-shot into the side-netting after he was picked out by a Prince Buaben ball on 35 minutes, then a Buaben shot was deflected up into the air and the unmarked Sandaza could only nod over the bar.
As half-time approached, Rangers grew into the game and on 39 minutes Miller almost scored with a spectacular 20-yard volley which needed a great save from goalie Dusan Pernis to direct it over for a corner.
Rangers started the second half well but once again it was United who threatened to break the deadlock, with Sandaza pulling a well-struck shot just past the post.
A sight United fans didn’t want to see appeared on 57 minutes, with Boyd running on to the park to replace Naismith.
As the match passed the hour mark, Cadamarteri missed a great chance for the Tangerines.
Bougherra missed a long ball and Whittaker found himself on the wrong side of the United frontman. Using his strength to brush off the defender, Cadamarteri seemed certain to score, but pulled his shot across goal and it rolled wide.
After Conway replaced Robertson, Sasa Papac executed two fouls in quick succession on Myrie-Williams. He was booked for the first offence but not the second.
United were creating more and chances now and Sandaza went close with a cushioned header after being picked out by a Myrie-Williams ball.
Just as they seemed to be gaining the ascendancy, though, the home side lost a man.
Kovacevic was fouled by Lafferty in front of the George Fox Stand, with the striker appearing to put his studs into the calf of the defender. The Swiss retaliated by grabbing his opponent and lashing out at him with his boot and referee Brian Winter rushed over to dismiss him.
There followed a flurry of substitutions, with United bringing on Watson for Myrie-Williams and Goodwillie for Sandaza, but they kept a positive 4-3-2 formation.
Lafferty made way for Nacho Novo, too, but it was the other Ibrox sub Boyd who had a great chance to score when the otherwise outstanding Kenneth made a hash of a pass-back only for Pernis to race out and block the Scotland man’s shot.
Davis was cautioned for a foul on Conway after a great run forward by Kenneth eased the pressure on the United defence.
Boyd brought a fine save out of Pernis as the match reached the end of regulation time but the flag was already up for offside and there was no point in Novo slamming the rebound into the net.
There was more drama to come a minute into stoppage time when Miller raced into the area and his shot struck the far post and spun back from whence it had came, missing both Novo and Boyd, leaving Watson to lash the ball upfield.
The Tangerines just held on and go into the post-split period still with high hopes of third spot and maybe, just maybe, second.
Attendance – 11,100.
As half-time approached, Rangers grew into the game and on 39 minutes Miller almost scored with a spectacular 20-yard volley which needed a great save from goalie Dusan Pernis to direct it over for a corner.
Rangers started the second half well but once again it was United who threatened to break the deadlock, with Sandaza pulling a well-struck shot just past the post.
A sight United fans didn’t want to see appeared on 57 minutes, with Boyd running on to the park to replace Naismith.
As the match passed the hour mark, Cadamarteri missed a great chance for the Tangerines.
Bougherra missed a long ball and Whittaker found himself on the wrong side of the United frontman. Using his strength to brush off the defender, Cadamarteri seemed certain to score, but pulled his shot across goal and it rolled wide.
After Conway replaced Robertson, Sasa Papac executed two fouls in quick succession on Myrie-Williams. He was booked for the first offence but not the second.
United were creating more and chances now and Sandaza went close with a cushioned header after being picked out by a Myrie-Williams ball.
Just as they seemed to be gaining the ascendancy, though, the home side lost a man.
Kovacevic was fouled by Lafferty in front of the George Fox Stand, with the striker appearing to put his studs into the calf of the defender. The Swiss retaliated by grabbing his opponent and lashing out at him with his boot and referee Brian Winter rushed over to dismiss him.
There followed a flurry of substitutions, with United bringing on Watson for Myrie-Williams and Goodwillie for Sandaza, but they kept a positive 4-3-2 formation.
Lafferty made way for Nacho Novo, too, but it was the other Ibrox sub Boyd who had a great chance to score when the otherwise outstanding Kenneth made a hash of a pass-back only for Pernis to race out and block the Scotland man’s shot.
Davis was cautioned for a foul on Conway after a great run forward by Kenneth eased the pressure on the United defence.
Boyd brought a fine save out of Pernis as the match reached the end of regulation time but the flag was already up for offside and there was no point in Novo slamming the rebound into the net.
There was more drama to come a minute into stoppage time when Miller raced into the area and his shot struck the far post and spun back from whence it had came, missing both Novo and Boyd, leaving Watson to lash the ball upfield.
The Tangerines just held on and go into the post-split period still with high hopes of third spot and maybe, just maybe, second.
Attendance – 11,100.
As half-time approached, Rangers grew into the game and on 39 minutes Miller almost scored with a spectacular 20-yard volley which needed a great save from goalie Dusan Pernis to direct it over for a corner.
Rangers started the second half well but once again it was United who threatened to break the deadlock, with Sandaza pulling a well-struck shot just past the post.
A sight United fans didn’t want to see appeared on 57 minutes, with Boyd running on to the park to replace Naismith.
As the match passed the hour mark, Cadamarteri missed a great chance for the Tangerines.
Bougherra missed a long ball and Whittaker found himself on the wrong side of the United frontman. Using his strength to brush off the defender, Cadamarteri seemed certain to score, but pulled his shot across goal and it rolled wide.
After Conway replaced Robertson, Sasa Papac executed two fouls in quick succession on Myrie-Williams. He was booked for the first offence but not the second.
United were creating more and chances now and Sandaza went close with a cushioned header after being picked out by a Myrie-Williams ball.
Just as they seemed to be gaining the ascendancy, though, the home side lost a man.
Kovacevic was fouled by Lafferty in front of the George Fox Stand, with the striker appearing to put his studs into the calf of the defender. The Swiss retaliated by grabbing his opponent and lashing out at him with his boot and referee Brian Winter rushed over to dismiss him.
There followed a flurry of substitutions, with United bringing on Watson for Myrie-Williams and Goodwillie for Sandaza, but they kept a positive 4-3-2 formation.
Lafferty made way for Nacho Novo, too, but it was the other Ibrox sub Boyd who had a great chance to score when the otherwise outstanding Kenneth made a hash of a pass-back only for Pernis to race out and block the Scotland man’s shot.
Davis was cautioned for a foul on Conway after a great run forward by Kenneth eased the pressure on the United defence.
Boyd brought a fine save out of Pernis as the match reached the end of regulation time but the flag was already up for offside and there was no point in Novo slamming the rebound into the net.
There was more drama to come a minute into stoppage time when Miller raced into the area and his shot struck the far post and spun back from whence it had came, missing both Novo and Boyd, leaving Watson to lash the ball upfield.
The Tangerines just held on and go into the post-split period still with high hopes of third spot and maybe, just maybe, second.
Attendance – 11,100.