Referee John Rowbotham was at the centre of a storm after his controversial penalty award for Dundee United allowed the Tannadice men to share the points against Aberdeen.

Robbie Winters had fired the visitors into a 12th-minute lead despite looking suspiciously offside when he received a David Rowson pass.

There was little between the teams for the rest of the half, but four minutes from the break United were awarded a soft penalty after a Derek Lilley shot had struck Derek Whyte's arm.

Charlie Miller, impressive in the United midfield, coolly converted the spot-kick.

The second half was played at a frantic pace, but although the visitors had several half-chances a draw was perhaps all both teams deserved.

The home side made an impressive start to the game and in the third minute Lilley's cross from the right-hand side flashed across the six-yard box but found no takers.

United midfielder Miller was involved in much of the early play and the ex-Rangers player seemed to thrive on the barracking he got from the visiting fans due to his Ibrox connection. But against the run of play it was the visitors who took the lead.

Rowson slipped a ball through to Winters on the edge of the box and although the Dons striker looked offside he carried on and smashed the ball past United keeper Paul Gallacher.

The goal gave the visitors confidence and in the 19th minute Rowson's shot from 25 yards was too hot for Gallacher to handle and the keeper had to parry the ball away for a corner.

At the other end Dons keeper Ryan Esson had to be quick out of his goal to foil Lilley who had beat the Dons' fragile offside trap.

The Dons looked to have handled the United pressure but in the 41st minute the home side got a lucky break when Dons' defender Whyte was adjudged to have handled a Lilley shot from inside the box.

It was a soft decision but Miller stepped up to confidently send Esson the wrong way.

The second half failed to live up to the first 45 minutes and the first attempt on goal did not come until the 61st minute but Winters' header from a Daren Young cross was easily saved by Gallacher.

Aberdeen might have taken lead on 66 minutes when Stavrom sent Daren Young through on goal, but United defender Jim Louchlan saved the day with a last-gasp tackle at the edge of the box as the Dons player prepared to shoot.

The Dons had the slight upper-hand in terms of chances and in the 79th minute Stavrom tried unsuccessfully to lay the ball off to substitute Chris Clark when shooting seemed a better option.

Moments later, following a Clark corner, Whyte had a shot cleared off the line by United defender Danny Griffin.

Teams

Dundee Utd: Gallacher, McCunnie, De Vos, Lauchlan, Buchan, Easton, Miller, Griffin, Smith (Venetis 65), Lilley (Thompson 84), Hamilton (Robinson 71).

Subs Not Used: Combe, McCracken.

Goals: Miller 40 pen.

Aberdeen: Esson, McNaughton (Lilley 77), McGuire, Whyte, McAllister, Darren Young, Guntveit (Clark 46), Rowson, Stavrum, Derek Young, Winters.

Subs Not Used: Preece, Dow, Rutkiewicz.

Booked: Whyte.

Goals: Winters 12.

Att: 8,472

Ref: J Rowbotham (Scotland).