With remarkable spirit and resilience, Dundee United fought back from losing a goal and a man to earn a draw against Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
An exciting game was bookended by the dismissals of United goalkeeper Michal Szromnik and Inverness’s Gary Warren.
.
In between, Caley’s Greg Tansey scored from the spot-kick earned by Szromnik’s indiscipline and Ryan McGowan levelled.
Inverness ought to have extended their lead, but United were irrepressible after the break and got their reward.
.
Referee Calum Murray soon had several decisions to make. In the opening 10 seconds, Inverness defender David Raven clattered recklessly into United’s Ryan Dow, drawing a yellow card from the official.
.
Ten minutes later Murray was faced with an even more significant decision.
.
Marley Watkins is brought down by Dundee United goalkeeper Michal Szromnik early in the match
.
After breaking United’s offside trap, Marley Watkins raced into the penalty area, where Szromnik rashly pushed him over having sprinted off his goal-line in panic.
.
It was a clear penalty kick, although United’s coaching staff felt, wrongly according to TV pictures, that Watkins had been offside.
.
A minute or two elapsed before the decision was made to take off Chris Erskine for substitute goalkeeper Radoslaw Cierzniak.
Erskine was furious, and gesticulated as he took his place on the bench. There was further dismay for United when Greg Tansey converted the penalty kick.
.
Greg Tansey netted from the spot to put Inverness Caley Thistle 1-0 ahead at Tannadice
United came into this game having lost their last two games – 3-2 to Kilmarnock and 2-0 at home against St Johnstone – while Inverness had been unbeaten in 2015 and still had ambitions of overhauling Aberdeen for second place in the Premiership.
Support InfoStride News' Credible Journalism: Only credible journalism can guarantee a fair, accountable and transparent society, including democracy and government. It involves a lot of efforts and money. We need your support. Click here to Donate