Dunfermline, spurred on by an outstanding display from former Dundee United striker Craig Brewster against his old side, earned their place in the fourth round draw with a 3-1 win at East End Park.

A first-half double from Scotland striker Stevie Crawford made the Pars comfortable before Derek McInnes gave the Tannadice club some hope with a volleyed counter.

However, Brewster capped a performance which did not belie his veteran status with a goal five minutes after the break and there was no way back for United.

Dunfermline went straight on the attack early on and they got the breakthrough they wanted with only 16 minutes on the clock with a goal straight out of the top drawer.

Brewster started it with a ball wide to Derek Young but it was the former Aberdeen man who made it all happen with a wonderful cross-field pass to the back post where Gary Dempsey was storming in to the box.

He intelligently touched the ball first time into the path of Crawford and the Scotland striker made no mistake from eight yards out.

Dunfermline played the better football, with United's passing simply not good enough on the perfectly-smooth plastic pitch they complained so much about in the lead up to the match.

And they were made to pay 10 minutes from half-time as a woeful blunder by visiting stopper Alan Archibald gifted the Pars a second.

The former Partick player swiped at a simple long ball from Brewster, allowing Crawford to run clear on goal.

He opted not to shoot as he bore down on Paul Gallacher but instead cut inside Stuart Duff and coolly slotted into the bottom corner of the net.

But with many inside the ground expecting that to effectively kill off the tie, United roared back with a goal out of the blue.

Mark Wilson's cross deflected high into the heart of the penalty area finding Andy McLaren and he beautifully cushioned the ball into the path of skipper Derek McInnes.

The midfielder still had it all to do but still cracked a wonderful volley past Derek Stillie.

Dunfermline continued to dominate possession after the interval, however, and restored their two-goal lead only five minutes into the second period with another top-class strike on the break.

Brewster fooled just about everyone in the ground with a brilliant turn in the centre circle before feeding Crawford wide on the left.

The former Hibernian striker in turn superbly picked out Brewster, who had run 50 yards to get on the end of the cross, and he volleyed across the goal and past Gallacher's despairing dive.

Brewster then passed up a magnificent chance to add a fourth for the Pars as he took a fresh air swipe at Crawford's pinpoint cross, with Dempsey also waiting to bury the chance.

And, although Charlie Miller hit a post with a point-blank header late on, there was to be no grandstand finish from United.

Teams

Dunfermline Stillie, Nicholson, Scott Wilson, Skerla, Scott Thomson, Dempsey (Tod 80), Darren Young, Mason, Derek Young (Bullen 45), Crawford (Hunt 67), Brewster.

Subs Not Used: Scott Y Thomson, McNicol.

Booked: Scott Wilson.

Goals: Crawford 16, 36, Brewster 49.

Dundee Utd Gallacher, Wilson, McCracken (James Paterson 20), Archibald, Duff, Easton, McInnes, Miller (Holmes 81), McLaren, Samuel (Scotland 57), Dodds.

Subs Not Used: Jarvie, Anderson.

Goals: McInnes 38.

Att: 6,164

Ref: H Dallas (Scotland).