When Dundee United substitute Justin Johnson celebrated his injury time equaliser as if he had scored the winner in a cup final rather than a goal that meant honours were shared in an essentially meaningless encounter, home supporters were entitled to wonder where such obvious passion has been among the teenager’s clubmates previously this season.

It was a fine goal which brought an unexpected outcome to a match the visitors had under control for most of the night until Edward Ofere had brought United within range four minutes earlier and on a night that it emerged that the involvement of Johnson’s fellow youngsters Ali Coote and Jamie Robson in Friday’s win over Inverness may mean a points deduction and fine for the club because they were ineligible to play, it offered some desperately needed encouragement to the home contingent in a sparsely populated Tannadice.

“I hope that gave everyone a lift,” said caretaker manager Gordon Young.

“It’s a throwaway line that you feel sorry for the fans but this is a black season so if they go away and over the summer think there’s an opportunity for a spark at the start of next year that might just galvanise people not to give up hope.”

There had been little sign of that at the outset and none at all of Ray McKinnon last night nor of many thousands of his fellow United supporters that the club’s under pressure chairman Stephen Thompson is hoping might be persuaded to renew season tickets if he succeeds in his attempt to persuade the Raith Rovers boss to return to Tannadice.

There must, however be a danger that those who found something better to do on a gorgeous evening in Dundee may still be feeling the same way when more is at stake come August, scunnered as they have been by the lack of appetite too often shown by those they have turned up to offer their backing these past nine months.

While Gordon Young, their caretaker boss, made an attempt to entice them in last night by introducing youngsters Harry Souttar and Matthew Smith to the staring XI, he has identified as players he believes offer hope for the future, it was typical of this particular season that even that initiative was trumped when James Penrice, the 17-year-old to whom Partick Thistle manager Alan Archibald had given a debut, set up the opening goal in just six minutes.

The corner kick delivered by the teenager was well flighted, but the quality of the defending was also a contributory factor as Freddie Frans was allowed a lengthy run at the ball and an unmolested leap before powering it past Eiji Kawashima from around 10 yards out.

There was a response of sorts with Billy McKay going close with a header and having a well struck shot blocked by Ryan Scully but the pain was piled on for home supporters when Thistle doubled their lead and again the responsibility had to be shared by the defending team. Stevie Lawless created the opportunity with what looked little more than a speculative chip towards the penalty spot, but David Amoo got the slightest touch on it which may have contributed to Sean Dillon’s bungled attempt to hook it clear, the ball rebounding off the Irishman’s head and into the path of Kris Doolan who waited for Kawashima to commit himself then rounded the goal-keeper before slotting the ball behind him, his fourth league goal in successive matches.

United did manage to reduce the leeway midway through the second half but even then none of the home side could get onto the scoresheet, Dillon indulging in a touch of role reversal as he deflected a Scott Fraser corner from the right towards the far post where the ball struck Frans on the backside as he seemed to be turning away from it and rebounded past the helpless Scully.

The two goal advantage was restored in 78 minutes when Amoo battled his way past Paul Dixon on the right touchline before drilling a cross to the near post where Ryan Edwards headed it home firmly from point blank range.

However United claimed their second when Edward Ofere collected the ball in space 16 yards out and lashed it past Scully before Johnson produced his little moment of magic, picking the ball up on the left and taking it past a couple of defenders as he eased his way across the 18 yard line before unleashing a fine right footed shot to level the scores.