For Dundee fans, the long, painful wait is finally over.
Prior to this game, the last time the Dark Blues had beaten near neighbours United, was away back on November 6, 2004 thanks to a solitary, late John Sutton goal.
The Tangerines had also held the upper hand in all three derbies this season, winning the last one at Tannadice 6-2.
This time though it was hugely different with Dundee gaining revenge for that humiliation and more importantly from a wider perspective, the win takes them above Hamilton into the top six just two points behind United in fourth.
The defeat was a bitter pill to swallow for everyone of a Tangerine persuasion with United now having failed to win in their last 10 games.
Dundee boss Paul Hartley made two changes from the starting XI who drew up in Inverness last weekend with Jim McAlister and Paul Heffernan replacing Simon Ferry and David Clarkson.
James McPake who was sent for a scan on an injured knee on Monday, was passed fit to take his place at the heart of the Dark Blues defence with Thomas Konrad.
Hartley’s counterpart Jackie McNamara made three changes from the side that slumped to defeat at home to Ross County on Saturday with Ryan McGowan, free from suspension, coming back in along with Calum Butcher and Henri Anier with Blair Spittal, Paul Paton and John Souttar dropping to the bench.
Dundee chairman Bill Colvin along with Tim Keyes from the club’s American investors were in attendance as the game kicked off.
Not surprisingly, there was a fast and furious start to the match with no quarter asked or given.
Rado Cierzniak was the first keeper called into action in the seventh minute when McAlister hit a speculative shot from long-range but the United goalie gathered easily.
Shortly after, Paul McGinn was booked after putting an arm across Chris Erskine.
United’s Nadir Ciftci then had a great opportunity but his carefully-measured shot flew straight at Scott Bain.
However, Dundee sensationally took the lead in the 14th minute. Greg Stewart cut in from the right and hit a shot from the edge of the United box. Cierzniak looked to have it well covered but he inexplicably allowed the ball to squirm through his legs and into the back of the net to the absolute delight of the Dundee fans.
It was a howler that will no doubt haunt the keeper forever but his team-mates got him out of jail by striking back virtually straight away.
An Erskine shot struck home skipper Kevin Thomson on the elbow just inside the Dundee box with referee John Beaton pointing to the spot.
For the second game in succession, Ciftci stepped up to calmly slot home the penalty and then was promptly booked for his celebration towards Bain.
Dundee looked to hit back quickly themselves and Cierzniak partly redeemed himself in the 20th minute when he acrobatically tipped over a Stewart free-kick.
However, the Polish keeper was helpless to prevent the Dark Blues taking the lead for a second time in the 23rd minute.
Stewart swung a corner in from the right with McPake timing his run to perfection to bullet a header past Cierzniak from six yards out.
United again though came storming back and an Aidan Connelly corner was met by the head of Butcher with Thomson having to clear off his own line.
Connolly went close again in the 35th minute but his snap shot from 12 yards flew just wide of Bain’s left-hand post.
The frenetic half finally drew to a close with both sets of players no doubt thankful for a breather at the interval.
McNamara made a change for the second half bringing Spittal on for Anier.
Both sides struggled to create chances of note at the start of the second 45 with too many niggly fouls stopping the game flowing.
In the 56th minute, John Rankin tried his luck with a shot from 25 yards out but it was deflected just wide.
As the hour mark approached, United probably shaded it in terms of possession but their frustration levels must have been growing as they struggled to pierce the Dundee rearguard.
Hartley though showed his concern on the touchline that his players were sitting too deep waving his arms urging them forward.
The Dark Blues did have a half chance in the 62nd minute when Paul McGinn sent a ball in from the right but Heffernan completely fluffed his attempted shot.
Butcher then had Bain scrambling across his goal with a deflected shot from the edge of the Dundee box with the ball going out for a corner.
Then in the 68th minute, Dundee increased their lead.
Stewart fired a perfect low cross in from the left which cut out the United defence with Heffernan gleefully firing home from close range at the back post to net his first goal for the club and to send the home support wild.
Dundee came mighty close to making it four in the 77th minute when Paul McGinn whipped in a great cross from the right to his brother Stephen who sent a powerful header goalwards but Cierzniak produced a stunning acrobatic stop to deny the midfielder.
United desperately tried everything in a bid to get themselves back in the game but Dundee held firm until the end, sparking joyous scenes of celebration from their fans at the final whistle.