Dundee 1 Dundee United 4

Dundee United surged to top of the Scottish Premiership by thrashing Dundee 4-1 at Dens Park to leave their rivals without a derby win in 10 years. Jackie McNamara's men were far too strong for Paul Hartley's side, who finished with 10 men following Thomas Konrad's dismissal late on, having gone into the televised meeting undefeated in six league outings. The Tangerines took over top spot in the league thanks to Mario Bilate's first-half penalty and further goals after the break from Ryan Dow, Callum Morris and Keith Watson, with Greg Stewart grabbing an injury-time consolation for the Dark Blues. There was plenty at stake as Dundee attempted to end their long wait for a derby win which stretched back to 2004, while United knew they could go top by winning by three clear goals. And in five minutes the visitors created the first opportunity. Chris Erskine's flighted cross was met by Dow and his downward header was on target but went straight into the hands of Dundee keeper Kyle Letheren. That helped settle the Tangerines and 10 minutes in Erskine again made some space for himself firing in a shot from 20-yards which Letheren was relieved to see clear his far post. But their efforts paid off as they swept into a deserved 24th-minute lead. Paul Paton dispossessed Jim McAlister 30 yards from goal and surged forward to give the ball to Gary Mackay-Steven. Mackay-Steven had only one thing on his mind as he powered into the hosts' area before Thomas Konrad halted him in his tracks. Referee Steven McLean was up with play and pointed immediately to the spot and booked Konrad. Up stepped Bilate and he made an expert job of the resulting penalty to sweep the ball past the diving Letheren. Soon after John Rankin tried his luck for the hosts from distance from Mackay-Steven's lay-off, but saw his effort go high and wide. It was end-to-end stuff and, with the last piece of action in the first half, McAlister headed over from Stewart's free-kick after Paton had been booked for a foul on Philip Roberts. However, in the 54th minute Dow made it 2-0 to United. Rankin robbed McAlister and fed Dow, who did the rest by striding forward and firing an unstoppable low left-footed shot past Letheren from 16 yards. And after 59 minutes United killed the contest by making it 3-0 in simple fashion. Paton's curling free-kick was the perfect height for Morris, who rose unchallenged to power a header past Letheren and into the corner of the net. There was no stopping United now and they went further in front on 79 minutes. Paul McGowan's foul on substitute Stuart Armstrong near the corner flag led to Paton flighting an inch-perfect free-kick to the back post, where full-back Watson climbed high to nod into the net past Letheren. To make matters worse for Dundee, Konrad was then sent off for his second bookable offence following a foul on United substitute Scott Smith after 89 minutes. Stewart struck a consolation goal for the visitors after 89 minutes with a low shot past United keeper Radoslaw Cierzniak from 20 yards, but it made no difference.