United in driving seat as Watt and Moult help to down Raith

DUNDEE UNITED took a big stride towards the cinch Championship title after goals from Tony Watt and Louis Moult gave them a 2-0 win over second-place Raith Rovers.

Their win leaves the hosts four points clear at the top, although Raith retain a game in hand and will hope to push the promotion battle into the final weeks of the campaign.

Watt settled the home side’s nerves with just seven minutes on the clock when he stroked home the opener after a neat lay-off from Moult.

Kai Fotheringham wasted a superb chance to double the home side’s lead then busy Raith keeper Kevin Dabrowski parried another effort from Watt.

United all but sealed victory on 75 minutes when Moult was fouled in the box and stepped up to fire his resulting penalty past Dabrowski.

Elsewhere, Partick Thistle maintained their promotion challenge with a 1-0 win over Inverness, who finished with 10 men at Firhill.

Jags forward Brian Graham saw an early glancing header saved by Caley keeper Mark Ridgers.

The visitors went close to breaking the deadlock from a corner in the 33rd minute when Wallace Duffy’s header hit the crossbar following a corner.

Partick Thistle took the lead four minutes before half-time when Scott Robinson knocked in a rebound after Ben Stanway’s long-range effort had been saved.

Caley found themselves down to 10 men in the 66th minute when midfielder Cammy Kerr was sent off for a second caution, but then saw late efforts from Samson Lawal and Alex Samuel saved by David Mitchell.

Meanwhile, Morton returned to winning ways with a 2-0 victory over Queen’s Park at Cappielow.

The deadlock was broken in the 68th minute when Alan Power’s freekick was headed in by Broadfoot.

Morton doubled their lead in the 72nd minute through a low free-kick from Robbie Muirhead to end Queen’s Park’s five-game unbeaten run.

Dunfermline, meanwhile, stayed firmly in the play-off hunt despite a late scare in a 3-2 win over rockbottom Arbroath at Gayfield.

Ewan Otoo opened the scoring after 24 minutes before Paul Allan’s superb free-kick put the Pars further clear and Chris Kane’s effort on the stroke of half-time had them 3-0 up at the interval.

But the visitors rallied with a brace from Scott Stewart either side of the hour mark.

And they came close to snatching an unlikely point late on when Leighton McIntosh fired a rising effort narrowly over the bar.