Stalemate at East End Park

Dunfermline moved seven points clear from Livingston at the foot of the Bank of Scotland Premier League in the only game to take place in the top flight of Scottish football this weekend.

Dundee United took the lead in the seventh minute when Barry Robson’s inswinging free kick was headed back across goal and into the bottom corner of the net by Garry Kenneth.

However, seven minutes later Dunfermline equalised when Noel Hunt crossed for Mark Burchill to score from six yards, and although the home side went on to create the better chances, they could not fashion a winner.

It took only seven minutes for Dunfermline’s defensive deficiencies to be exposed, as from their first real opportunity United scored a simple goal from a straight forward set piece.

Aaron Labonte was goaded into committing a foul on the left-hand side of the Pars’ penalty area by the wily David Fernandez and from Robson’s inswinging delivery, an unmarked Kenneth headed the ball back across goal and into the bottom corner of Allan McGregor’s net.

Fernandez was causing the home side all manner of problems in the opening stages and five minutes later, the Spaniard’s cutback was met by a powerful drive from Grant Brebner 18 yards from goal.

The former Hibernian midfielder’s well hit effort was on target, but Greg Shields was well placed to block the shot with an important intervention which took on added significance when Dunfermline drew level in the 14th minute.

Scott Muirhead’s through ball sent Hunt racing past the static Stuart Duff and when the striker beat onrushing goalkeeper Derek Stillie to the ball 20 yards from goal, he crossed for Burchill to chest over the line from six yards out.

The Pars grew in confidence after that equaliser and were next to register a shot on target with a Darren Young half volley from 25 yards, which was well saved by Stillie after Kenneth had blocked Hunt’s effort inside the box.

The visitor’s goalkeeper was called into action once again in the 35th minute when a flick on from Hunt afforded his strike partner Burchill an opportunity to blast a right-footed drive at goal from 25 yards out.

Stillie failed to gather the ball cleanly as it swerved through the air, but Alan Archibald was on hand to clear the danger.

The Pars were forced into making a change early in the second half when the injured Stephen Simmons was replaced by Greg Ross, but that substitution did not seem to disturb Dunfermline’s rhythm as they came with in a whisker of moving into a deserved lead on the hour mark.

Muirhead’s cross was headed goalwards by Young, but Brebner was stationed on the line at the far post to hack the ball clear.

Almost immediately, the former Aberdeen midfielder once again provided a tantalising delivery into the area, but this time substitute Ross somehow headed over from only six yards out when he really should have scored.

Both teams then elected to make a change with Frederic Daquin replacing Craig Wilson before Collin Samuel came on for Fernandez, and it was the Dunfermline substitute who almost made an immediate impact when he headed just wide from Yannick Zambernardi’s 76th minute cross.

Samuel’s 88th minute centre almost provided Lee Miller with an opportunity to test McGregor, but his acrobatic overhead kick came closer to going out for a throw than flying into the net as the match ended a draw.