Dundee United 1

Dundee 0

Substitutions

Dundee United Thompson (Lilley 78), Winters (Hamilton 72) Dundee Mckay (Carranza 72), Artero (Rae 24), Caballero (Milne 60)

Subs not used

Dundee United Combe, McCracken Dundee Langfield, Kemes

REFEREE W Young

bookED

Dundee United Lilley Dundee Carranza, Caballero

Attendance 12,851

IN business, as in life, you would rather be lucky than good and the ugly incidents, both here and at Pittodrie at the weekend, just five days after the SPL announced their plans to go it alone with their own subscription channel, suggests that our elite division's timing could not have been worse.

While the scenes at Tannadice failed to match events further north in terms of violence born of alcohol, naked hatred and a skewed sense of morality, they were distressing enough and, coming as they did towards the end of the match, helped soil the memory of what had been an entertaining afternoon.

The sight of Dundee supporters behind Paul Gallacher's goal's throwing coins and other missiles at the prone figure of Jamie McCunnie was maybe an example of what their chairman, Peter Marr, described as an everyday scene of violence on Tayside, but footballers, as well as decent spectators and their families, have a right to expect better.

Of course, it hardly helps when the players and management team cannot conduct themselves in a manner which would help douse, rather than fan, the flames of stupidity.

Dundee's co-ordinator, Dario Magri, was sent to the stand in the dying minutes for disputing the free-kick which led to United's late winner. Fabian Caballero was then cautioned for dangerous play before the missiles began to rain down on McCunnie.

On the final whistle, Dens defender Walter del Rio raced

20 yards to remonstrate with referee Willie Young. He had to be led away by a team-mate. Then, when Alessandro Romano shook hands with the official, del Rio jostled the Italian for his courtesy.

Afterwards, manager Ivano Bonetti castigated Young and the entire legislative system, blaming fixture congestion for his side's inability to fulfil their potential. This is, of course, what is known as creating a diversion. By criticising others, Bonetti is attempting to deflect flak which might otherwise be coming in his direction.

While he has managed to bring in an array of exotic talent from across the globe - and how that is financed on Dundee's crowds is a miracle comparable to the feeding of that 5000 - what he has not done is forge these disparate units into a team.

There was no doubt that, on Saturday, they displayed more class than the home side. What they lacked, and what United had in spades, was cohesion and a sense of people playing for each other rather than themselves within a structured framework. Dundee had flashes of madness but little method.

Now in ninth position, on Wednesday they entertain third-placed Livingston. Fixed-odds fanciers would be advised to mark a 2 next to this fixture since Dundee have won just five of their last 26 home matches, which makes the anxiety to tie Ivano down to a five-year contract somewhat perplexing.

Still, he was as entertaining as ever during his post-match conference. Referring to Jim McIntyre's goal, he said: ''I don't understand the referee's decision. He gave the award to us then changed his mind.

''But it's crazy to play so many games. We must play Saturday-Wednesday for five matches. It's impossible to go on. It's difficult to play good football in those circumstances.

''It's a joke but what can you do? There's nothing I can say. It's a joke but we're not in charge.

''We will do our best but the fans will not see wonderful football from Dundee, that's for sure; we have no energy.''

While the decision to award United a last-minute free-kick, for Massimo Beghetto's challenge on Steven Thompson, was harsh that didn't exonerate the Dundee defence, who failed miserably to cope with Charlie Miller's curling cross and allowed McIntyre to head home from close range.

It was a result United probably deserved, although each side could point to a string of missed chances, with both goalkeepers, but particularly Julian Speroni, excelling themselves.

Speroni admitted the dressing room was tense afterwards: ''We just feel it is unfair to lose three points like that,'' he said.

Unfortunately, the entertainment of the game will be forgotten when the SFA and SPL conduct their inquiries into the violence. Pay-per-view, anyone?