Daly hat-trick in derby triumph

Striker Jon Daly struck a hat-trick and it was delight for Dundee United with a 3-0 victory in the first Tayside derby in four years at Dens Park.

Daly headed low past Robert Douglas from a Willo Flood cross to give them an early lead in front of a 10,000-plus attendance - with almost half of them backing the Tangerines.

It continued to be an entertaining spectacle with both sides having further chances. Dundee's John Baird was denied by United's new goalkeeper Radoslaw Cierznik and Declan Gallacher also went close with a header, while Daly, John Rankin, Gary Mackay-Steven and Johnny Russell each threatened in reply.

The hosts were having plenty of early possession after the break with Ryan Conroy chipping narrowly over before goalscorer Daly saw an effort turned behind by Douglas at the other end - until his side struck twice more in the final ten minutes.

First substitute Michael Gardyne sent in Daly to drive home his second of the game and sixty seconds later he claimed a hat-trick when heading in fellow replacement Ryan Dow's cross from the left.

Dundee: Douglas, Irvine, Trialist, O'Donnell (Webster 53), McGregor, Gallacher, Riley, McBride (M. Baird, Davidson, Conroy

subs (unused): Gibson, Benedictus, McIntosh, Reid, Trialist

Dundee United: Cierznik, Watson, Dillon, McLean, Gunning, Flood (Dow 75), Mackay-Steven (Armstrong 53), Ryan (Millar 70), Rankin (Gauld 87), Russell (Gardyne 53), Daly

subs (unused): Banks, Hilson, Barratt

Att: 10,121

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