MORTON 1 Buchanan (78) DUNDEE UNITED 1 Frans (31)
Dundee United manager Robbie Neilson was sent to the stand as his side threw away the lead and missed the chance to apply pressure on the Championship’s top two.
Neilson incurred the wrath of referee David Munro but insisted he had been bawling at one of his players – not the whistler.
The Tannadice boss said: “I shouted at one of my players. I was very vocal as I was disappointed and the linesman said I directed it at the referee, despite being 40 yards away.
“It was a young referee – he hasn’t had many games and you have to be able to handle the atmosphere at this venue and I think it got away from him today. “Sometimes the officials can’t hear you when they are 15 yards away but this one could from 60 yards away, so it’s interesting.”
United suffered an embarrassing 5-0 defeat to league leaders Ayr United last Friday and Neilson unsurprisingly made three changes to his starting side.
One, Craig Curran, almost justified his inclusion early on when he came close to opening the scoring, weaving his way into the box only to scuff just wide.
The swirling wind and torrential rain contributed to a scrappy affair but the visitors were in the ascendancy for the opening period and it came as little surprise when they grabbed the lead, former Rangers winger Fraser Aird clipping an inviting ball into the area for Frederic Frans to loop a header past Derek Gaston.
Morton looked a different side after the break as Jonatan Johansson’s message clearly struck a chord with his players while United’s attacking threat disappeared.
Conditions perhaps played their part as Morton equalised, despite the persistent rain and gusting wind, Matej Rakovan should have punched Tidser’s corner to safety, the keeper’s error allowing Gregor Buchanan to head into an empty net on 78 minutes for his first goal for the club.
The towering defender was then the hero at the other end as full-time approached when he made a brilliant intervention to deny Stewart Murdoch’s goalbound effort. Morton boss Johansson said: “We were positive at half time and the second half was one of the best home performances this year.”