Craig Brewster's first match in charge of Dundee United ended in a draw as Alan Archibald ensured the new Terrors boss avoided defeat against his former manager at Dunfermline, Jimmy Calderwood.

Aberdeen had taken the lead in the 49th minute when Richie Byrne's pass allowed Steve Crawford to set-up Darren Mackie, who applied an assured finish from the edge of the area.

But Archibald equalised three minutes later scoring from six yards.

Brewster made his playing debut in the 60th minute, replacing Lee Miller, but the 39-year-old's debut ended prematurely after suffering an ankle injury in a challenge with Russell Anderson.

These two teams had contested an epic Tennent's Scottish Cup battle two weeks ago when Aberdeen recovered from a two-goal deficit at the interval to eventually emerge victorious courtesy of three unanswered second half goals.

However, the first half of this encounter could not have been further from that colossal clash.

Neither goalkeeper was required to make a save until the 21st minute and even then Derek Stillie made the most comfortable of catches after Danny Griffin's long throw allowed Crawford a tame header at goal from six yards.

However, despite being a virtual spectator during the early proceedings Dons keeper Jamie Langfield got himself in all sorts of bother two minutes later after fumbling a routine catch from Charlie Mulgrew's cross.

When the ball fell to the deck, Langfield appeared to impede David Fernandez who looked set to capitalise, but referee Ian Brines decided against awarding what would have been a contentious penalty to the home side.

The first sweeping move of the match finally materialised in the 26th minute when Jamie Smith swung a pin-point pass across the pitch and straight into the path of the unmarked Mackie on the right wing.

Last season's top-scorer for the Dons advanced into the 18-yard-box but after finding Richard Foster with a square pass, the midfielder could only fire well wide from just 12 yards.

United finally directed a shot towards goal three minutes later when Miller bent a low free-kick around the visitor's wall, but Langfield made a confident stop as the first-half petered out.

But while the opening 45 minutes were a dire affair, the second period got off to a dramatic start with two goals in seven minutes of the restart.

First, Aberdeen took the lead when Byrne picked out Crawford with an arrowed pass and from his chested knock-down Mackie found the net with a low drive from the edge of the area.

However, that advantage lasted barely three minutes as Archibald restored parity after latching on to Jim McIntyre's header from Grant Brebner's free-kick.

Brewster then entered the fray on the hour mark, much to the adulation of the ecstatic home support, but his debut ended early after the former Inverness manager landed awkwardly after an aerial challenge with Dons captain Anderson.

The last opportunity of an evenly contested encounter fell to on-loan Celtic defender Mulgrew who attempted to curve a powerful free-kick into the top corner of the goal from an acute angle.

But his clever effort in injury time just eluded Langfield's near post as Brewster's much-anticipated return to Tannadice resulted in an evenly-contested draw.

Teams

Dundee Utd Stillie, Duff, McCracken, Archibald, Mulgrew, Kerr, McInnes, Brebner, Fernandez (Brewster 60), Miller (Samuel 60), McIntyre, Brewster (Robertson 87).

Subs Not Used: Samson, Kenneth, Cameron, Goodwillie.

Booked: Kerr.

Goals: Archibald 53.

Aberdeen Langfield, McNaughton, Griffin, Anderson, Byrne,Smith, Nicholson, Foster (Considine 72), Clark, Crawford, Mackie (Lovell 79).

Subs Not Used: Esson, Severin, Dempsey, Winter, Stewart.

Goals: Mackie 49.

Att: 9,936

Ref: I Brines (Scotland).