Dundee United and Aberdeen fought out a goalless draw in a match which showed the relegation fears of both sides.

There was little for either set of fans to cheer about although both sides had efforts cleared off the line.

Aberdeen had failed to score in their last five visits to Tannadice and rarely looked like improving on that statistic.

United, after their improved performance in midweek, were back to their boring mode and rarely opened up a confident Aberdeen rearguard.

One of the best chances of the match came after only three minutes when an Andy McLaren header gave Gary McSwegan the chance to fire a fierce volley from the edge of the box which flew inches past Jim Leighton's post.

The visitors had brought back prolific striker Billy Dodds and when he dispossessed recent signing Julian Alsford it required a fine diving one-handed save by Siep Dykstra to keep the scoreline blank.

Aberdeen again came close when a long Leighton kick was headed back by Dean Windass but under pressure from Dykstra and Maurice Malpas, Eoin Jess shot past the post from 15 yards.

A heavy challenge on Dean Windass earned Alsford a booking, then Windass provided a chance for Jamie Buchan to fire in a 25-yarder which was saved by the keeper.

As half-time approached Jess missed another half-chance and showed his frustration by aiming a kick at Jamie Dolan, which earned him a booking.

Four minutes after the break United substitute Dave Bowman almost had a nightmare start when his mistake gave Windass a chance but in keeping with the rest of the game, he managed to shoot past from a good position.

United's substitute Steve Thompson became the third player to be booked, then Aberdeen's substitute Dave Rowson went on an impressive solo run and gave Dodds the chance to shoot inches past from 20 yards.

On the hour mark Aberdeen's Newcastle-bound winger Stephen Glass cut in and fired an angled effort past Dykstra but Malpas got back to clear off the line.

The United veteran was yellow-carded for a foul on Windass before Buchan had a run and a 20-yard shot which was half saved by Dykstra and ex-Sheffield Wednesday and Arsenal midfielder Siggy Jonson completed the clearance.

With 10 minutes to go, Glass had another good chance but his angled effort was pushed away brilliantly by the home keeper.

With four minutes remaining, Thompson got in a glancing header from a McLaren corner but with United dreaming of the three points, Buchan got up to head the ball away and earn both sides a single point.

Teams

Dundee Utd: Dykstra, Jenkins, Malpas, Jonsson, Alsford (Bowman 46), Pedersen, Olofsson, Easton, McSwegan (Thompson 49), Dolan, McLaren.

Subs Not Used: Sinclair.

Booked: Malpas, Alsford, Thompson.

Aberdeen: Leighton, Buchan, Whyte, Kiriakov (Rowson 46), Inglis, Smith, Gillies, Jess, Windass, Dodds, Glass.

Subs Not Used: O'Neil, Young.

Booked: Jess.

Att: 9,155

Ref: M McCurry (Glasgow).