Five-star United run riot

Rampant Dundee United hammered five goals past St Johnstone in the latest Tayside derby at McDiarmid Park.

The visitors were certainly helped along the way by a couple of own goals before Johnny Russell, Jon Daly and recent signing Milos Lacny all struck late on.

Their resounding 5-1 triumph was sufficient to move the Tangerines back into sixth place in the table and now five points behind their latest opponents.

At least Saints enjoyed the early stages with Callum Davidson drilling wide and Liam Craig having a chipped attempt fielded by Dusan Pernis, who also had to clear hastily after Robbie Neilson misjudged a backpass.

Gavin Gunning then saw an effort charged down for the visitors before home goalkeeper Peter Enckelman failed to deal with a Paul Dixon free-kick and the ball struck Steven Anderson and went into the net.

Lee Croft was soon booked for simulation when trying to round Pernis, whose opposite number Enckelman held a Scott Robertson shot from the edge of the area before the break.

Anderson was surely looking to atone for his own-goal but couldn't beat Pernis upon the restart and Gunning got on the end of a Gary Mackay-Steven corner but headed narrowly over in reply.

However, the visitors still extended their lead just past the hour when Mackay-Steven sought out Russell but the ball was missed and Davidson turned into his own net.

The Tangerines were after a third when Stuart Armstrong's drive was taken by Enckelman following a set-up by Mackay-Steven.

But it was the hosts who scored next with Craig's free-kick being helped into the net by Anderson from inside the six-yard area.

Even so Mackay-Steven was still proving a real danger for the visitors and he allowed John Rankin to have a shot diverted over before Gunning's header glanced the crossbar from the subsequent corner.

At the opposite end Pernis claimed from both Craig and Dave MacKay before United struck three times in the final six minutes to complete a total rout.

First Russell looped a far post header into the opposite corner from Dixon's free-kick before the full-back soon delivered again for Daly to head powerfully past Enckelman and make it four.

Substitute Lacny then got into the act only moments after entering the action when Enckelman's clearance rebounded off MacKay and presented the Slovakian with his first goal for the club.

St Johnstone: Enckelman, MacKay, Davidson, Anderson, McCracken, Morris, Millar (Robertson 81), Croft (Haber 76), Craig, Sheridan, Sandaza

subs (unused): Mannus, Wright, Steeves, Oyenuga, Keatings

Goals: Anderson (66)

Dundee United: Pernis, Gunning, Kenneth (Dillon 39), Gunning, Dixon, Robertson, Rankin, Armstrong (Ryan 81), Mackay-Steven (Lacny 88), Daly, Russell

subs (unused): Banks, Douglas, Flood, Dow

Goals: Anderson OG (35), Davidson OG (61), Russell (84), Daly (89), Lacny (90)

Ref: Brines

Att: 4,319

Vital F1 Prediction League - Join now for Monaco