It was Colin McMenamin, a 70th minute replacement for skipper Stuart Lovell, who forced home the point for the home side, grabbing the 83rd minute strike which cancelled out Billy Dodds’ 61st minute penalty for Dundee United.
Afterwards, Preston and Ian McCall, the United manager, agreed a draw had been a fair outcome.
“It feels like a defeat,” admitted McCall. “I thought we had stolen all three points, but Allan gambled on three forwards and got the pay off. Usually an away point is welcome, but not today.”
Preston was in Jock Wallace mode, praising his side’s character in fighting back for parity. “I thought we should have had the game won by half-time,” he said. “It took United 40 minutes to get a shot on target. We said at half-time ‘keep doing what you’ve been doing’, but the players switched off for a spell and United scored from a stonewall penalty.
“I thought then, ‘better to lose 2-0 than 1-0’ so we went for it and I’m pleased for Colin McMenamin that he got the goal. He’s a ball magnet and was in the right place at the right time. Colin has had a disappointing start to the season, which he admits, but that goal will give him a lift.”
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However, had Colin Easton, the former United midfielder, been a bit luckier in front of goal, Livi would have had the match won by half-time. Three times in the first half Easton burst into the United box with superbly timed late runs, but he couldn’t apply the final touch to embarrass the club he left at the end of last season. He shot past as he slid in on a low Steven Boyack cross, then was let down by his control after some Burton O’Brien magic set him up, while on the third occasion United keeper Tony Bullock produced a marvellous save.
Bullock also saved well from a Lovell 20-yarder, but the visitors had actually come closest to establishing a half-time lead when Barry Robson’s 40th minute snap shot came back off the inside of a post and the supporting Dodds shot past.
Whatever McCall said to his troops at half-time worked. After only 18 seconds Robson, who had been ill with a virus all week, ghosted through five tackles to set up Mark Wilson, whose shot was only just off target. United kept pressing and Wilson missed another chance, then, in 61 minutes, the visitors struck. Jason Scotland burst into the Livingston box, Emmanuel Dorado hauled down the Trinidadian striker and the obvious penalty was perfectly executed by Dodds.
Back came Livi, spearheaded by the powerful front pair of Derek Lilley and Jim Hamilton, while United abandoned their midfield diamond for two lines of four and looked to be holding out. Despite that, they should have wrapped up the points in 80 minutes when Scotland burst clear, but substitute Andy McLaren weakly headed his cross into the side netting.
Three minutes later it was all square as Lilley headed a deep O’Brien cross against the bar for McMenamin to bundle the ball home in the ensuing scramble.
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There was still time for Lilley to head a David McNamee cross wide at one end and Jim McIntyre to hook a McLaren header past the post at the other before the referee, Willie Young, who seems to be growing into a latter day Tiny Wharton with each passing season, brought the action to a close.
Livingston: McKenzie, McNamee, Rubio, Dorado, Stanic, Boyack (Dair 69min), Lovell (McMenamin 69min), Easton, O’Brien, Lilley, Hamilton
Dundee United: Bullock, Duff, Innes, Ritchie (McCracken 10min), Archibald, Wilson , Kerr, Dodds (McInnes 76min), Robson (McLaren 72min), Scotland, McIntyre
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Scorers: Livingston: McMenamin 83
Dundee Utd: Dodds 61pen
Referee: W Young
Attendance: 3,659