Scott Brown struck a sensational late winner as second-placed Raith Rovers beat Dundee United 2-1 to cut the gap on the cinch Championship leaders to one point.

Raith came in to the game on the back of five straight defeats, three of them in the league.

But their strong start was rewarded after nine minutes when on-loan Dundee striker Zak Rudden turned home Liam Dick’s cross at the near post for his first Rovers goal.

The visitors grew in confidence as the half wore on and equalised after 39 minutes when Ross Graham met David Wotherspoon corner’s and Louis Moult helped it in from close range.

Raith claimed the points in spectacular fashion when Brown chested a ball down in the 89th minute and volleyed home his first goal of the season from 25 yards.

Dundee United remained top of the Scottish Championship after hitting back to draw 1-1 at second-placed Raith Rovers.

Louis Moult cancelled out Lewis Vaughan’s opener to keep United a point clear of their closest challengers.

Home goalkeeper Kevin Dabrowski kept out Kai Fotheringham’s effort in a cagey start between two in-form sides.

Rovers went ahead in the 24th minute when Vaughan poked home on the rebound after his own header came back off a post.

But the visitors maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign thanks to substitute Moult’s 67th-minute header from a Declan Glass corner.

Louis Moult marked his Dundee United league debut with a goal and three assists as the Scottish Championship title favourites ran out thumping 4-0 winners in the season opener at Arbroath.

United, relegated from the Premiership on the final day of last season, went ahead after nine minutes when Arbroath gave the ball away to former Preston and Motherwell forward Moult, who sent Glenn Middleton through to score.

Moult was the architect again as United doubled their lead in the 25th minute, slipping Mathew Cudjoe through to coolly finish.

Craig Sibbald rattled the crossbar before he got on the scoresheet eight minutes before half-time after another Moult assist.

And Moult got in on the act in first-half stoppage time with a powerful finish to put the visitors 4-0 up at the break.

United could have had another in the second half but Scott McMann’s drive clipped a post.

Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell stressed that only external decisions could give him any more scope in the transfer market as he addressed comments from former Fir Park striker Louis Moult.

Moult declared in an interview in the Herald on Saturday that he had “unfinished business” at Motherwell after his return to the club was undermined by injury.

The striker, who previously had a hugely successful spell at Motherwell between 2015-18, cut short a season-long loan in January after undergoing a procedure on his ankle after making only one start this season and scoring his 51st goal for the club.

Moult, 31, is now a free agent after being released by Burton Albion and stressed he had been back fit and training for about 12 weeks.

Kettlewell said: “I’ve seen the article. I don’t really know Louis too well. I had only a couple of weeks here with him, he was obviously carrying an injury.

“He’s a guy that has got an amazing record and is loved by the supporters here but I don’t think Louis was saying there was anything happening.

“It was about his relationship with the football club, his past, and obviously there was a frustration that he wasn’t able to offer too much in terms of being on the park with the injury he was carrying.

“I don’t think there is anything in the story to read too much between the lines.”

That situation could theoretically change with Kevin van Veen naturally attracting interest after scoring 27 goals this season ahead of Wednesday’s penultimate cinch Premiership contest at Livingston.

Jonathan Obika, Jack Aitchison and Mikael Mandron’s contracts expire at the end of the season while Connor Shields has a year left on his deal following his return from a loan at Queen’s Park.

Kettlewell said: “Obviously we find ourselves in a position where I am happy with the squad but I think everybody knows that there might be obvious changes there with guys who are out of contract and other people being interested in our players.

“It becomes my job to make sure Motherwell have the strongest group of players with the finance you have.

“I’m sorry to keep going on about money but it does come down to a situation where you can be hamstrung by what you have to put out there and contracts that are already on offer and the guys that are already under contract.

“I have touched on it that at this stage it is kind of maxed out for season.

“So how that transpires over the next couple of weeks is probably going to be down to decisions from players, decisions maybe of other football clubs, whether they are offering money for our players.

“That’s not to say that Motherwell will accept that but those are the types of situations that will change the personnel that we have at our football club.”