A late Jim Paterson equaliser gave Dundee United a share of the points in their 1-1 draw with Motherwell at Tannadice. John Spencer had fired the visitors into an early first-half lead which Motherwell seemed like holding on to. But with just seconds remaining Paterson latched onto a Neil Heaney cross to send a header past a helpless Andy Goram and into the Motherwell net.

It was a point new United boss Alex Smith will be happy with as his side played poorly throughout this dull game. There was little for the small crowd to get excited about in the early stages and both teams took time to settle. Spencer, returning to the Well side after a two-match ban, showed he hadn't lost any form with some nice touches in and around the United box. The visitors came close in the 10th minute when a Derek Townsley cross went along the United six-yard box but found no takers. And it was no great surprise when the visitors took the lead in the 12th minute. Spencer raced onto a Ged Brannan pass and when United keeper Alan Combe hesitated, the little striker poked the ball into an empty net. Five minutes later Combe again was slow off his line and this time it was Lee McCulloch who won the race for the ball. Much to his relief the United keeper watched the ball slip harmlessly past his far post. The home side were looking ragged and were finding it difficult to find team mates with their passing. Meanwhile the visitors looked dangerous on the break and Spencer once again ran through the United defence but was ruled offside. United had a good opportunity when Motherwell defender Stephen McMillan was ruled to have handled at the edge of his box.

But United debutant Joachim Fernandez hit his shot weakly against a defensive wall and the danger was soon cleared. As the first half wore on it was Motherwell who were playing the better football and they looked like grabbing a second goal. But the home side could have equalised minutes from the break when Steven Thompson set up Alex Mathie on the six-yard box - only for the United striker's overhead kick to clear the bar comfortably. New manager Smith must have had plenty to say to his players at half-time but it appeared his message had fallen on deaf ears. Within a minute Combe had to react smartly to pull off a good save from Paul Harvey, whose shot from 10 yards looked netbound. Eventually the home side applied some pressure to the visitors' goal. On 54 minutes Thompson came close but watched in agony as his angled shot from 10 yards skimmed the bar with Goram beaten. Just after the hour mark Combe injured himself at the feet of Motherwell substitute Don Goodman but to the United bench's relief was soon back on his feet. In the 75th minute Goram did well to push a Stephen McConalogue header over the bar after the United substitute had latched on to a Jason De Vos cross.

But just as United seemed to be heading for defeat they managed to grab an equaliser. Young substitute Neil Heaney raced down the right and swung over his cross to the back post. Paterson appeared to be struggling to reach it but stretched his neck muscles to send his header over Goram and into the net.