Dundee United secured their first William Hill Premiership win of the season and derby bragging rights by seeing off Dundee 2-0 at Dens Park.
Zac Sapsford opened the scoring for the visitors in the first half and sealed the victory after the break thanks to an Ivan Dolcek strike.
Dundee had won the previous two derbies but Steven Pressley’s side rarely threatened to extend that run to three with a disappointing performance.
The hosts made one change from the side that drew 0-0 at Kilmarnock last Saturday with new signing Ethan Hamilton replacing Fin Robertson. United made two alterations to the team that lost at Rugby Park two weeks ago, with Sapsford and Panutche Camara coming in for Max Watters and Craig Sibbald.
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There was the usual breathless opening to the derby with both sides flying into challenges before the Terrors had the first half chance of the match in the ninth minute, when a long throw from Will Ferry eventually fell to Dolcek but his fierce shot was deflected wide for a corner.
However, United stormed into the lead just five minutes later. On-loan Liverpool wing-back Luca Stephenson burst down the right and produced a perfect cutback to Sapsford, who made no mistake in tucking the ball home low at the near post – although home goalkeeper Jon McCracken probably should have done better.
The visitors were in control of the game and had another chance when Stephenson played a superb pass to Dolcek, who raced through on goal but sent his shot into the side-netting.
United keeper Yevhenii Kucherenko finally had something to do in the 29th minute when he got a hand to Dundee skipper Simon Murray’s attempted lob but referee Steven McLean awarded a free-kick to the Terrors for an earlier infringement by the striker.
Dolcek then tried his luck from all of 35 yards but his free-kick flew well over the bar.
The second period began in calamitous fashion for McCracken when a poor touch landed him in trouble, before the keeper eventually pounced on the ball.
After that, there was precious little for the fans to get excited about, with both sides huffing and puffing to no great effect.
Hamilton tried a long-range effort in the 71st minute but his shot flew straight at Kucherenko, who easily gathered.
Instead, it was United who doubled their advantage in the 78th minute. Ferry launched a long throw from the left with Clark Robertson’s attempted clearing header falling perfectly for Dolcek, who rifled a low shot past the helpless McCracken.
