Krisztian Keresztes’ second-half strike earns Dundee United draw with Livingston

Dundee United and Livingston had to settle for share of the spoils after a 1-1 William Hill Premiership draw at a windswept Tannadice.

Scott Pittman opened the scoring for the visitors in the first half with United responding after the break thanks to Krisztian Keresztes with his first goal for the club.

The Terrors had several further chances but failed to take them with the result lifting them up to fourth in the table while the Lions remain 10th.

United made just one change to the team that lost to Kilmarnock last week with striker Nikolaj Moller handed his first start for the club with fellow Swede Amar Fatah dropping to the bench.

Livingston also made a solitary alteration to the starting line-up that was defeated by Rangers last Sunday with Connor McLennan replacing Andy Winter who was named as a substitute.

The visitors had the first sight of goal in the ninth minute when Lewis Smith tried his luck with a long-range strike that was spilled by United keeper Yevhenii Kucherenko but Livi striker Stevie May could not take advantage on the follow-up.

The Terrors finally created a chance in the 21st minute when Ivan Dolcek played a reverse pass into Moller’s path but the big striker blasted well over Jerome Prior’s bar.

However, the deadlock was finally broken in the 35th minute when home defender Bert Esselink was short with a backpass, May nipped in and teed up Pittman for a simple tap-in.

Kucherenko then had to look lively to divert a 22-yard strike from May wide of his goal.

United passed up a gilt-edged chance in stoppage time with a corner making it all the way to Vicko Sevelj at the back post but the midfielder headed wide from close range.

Fatah came on at half-time and quickly made a telling impact, winning a free-kick wide on the right when he was fouled by McLennan. Ferry swung the free-kick into the box with Keresztes firing home past Prior.

Fatah then had a chance of his own on the hour mark when he was played in by Zac Sapsford but his shot was grabbed low down by Prior.

United were in the ascendant and Prior had to make a solid save from a Luca Stephenson piledriver and then a follow-up effort was cleared off the Livi line by Mo Sylla.

Sevelj then broke from halfway towards the edge of the Lions’ box with Prior again making a great save from the Croatian’s shot.

Deep in stoppage time, Livi’s Mahamadou Susoho clipped the top of the United bar with a cross.