Jim McIntyre returned from injury to hand Dundee United all three points against Dunfermline at Tannadice.

The former Kilmarnock forward, who had been out for a month with a calf injury, combined well with Barry Robson to break the deadlock in the 57th minute.

But the goal was just one of very few moments of quality in a game blighted by the weather and the players' inability to cope with the conditions.

However, it was the visitors who started strongly and created a chance as early as the fourth minute.

Barry Nicholson whipped in a corner towards defender Andrius Skerla from the right-hand side.

He took advantage of some sloppy defending to direct a header on target, but Chris Innes threw his body in front of the ball to block.

The sheet of water that rested on the Tannadice surface made it difficult for both sets of players to keep their footing.

Ironically though, it was the imperfect conditions which played a major part in creating United's first real chance of the game.

McIntyre and Billy Dodds tried to play a one-two inside the area, but the ball stuck in the deepening mud, allowing McIntyre extra time to line up a shot.

He burst forward and swung his boot at the ball, but a throng of players crowded him and Skerla managed to clear.

Dunfermline immediately broke upfield and would have opened the scoring had it not been for United's Paul Gallacher.

The keeper showed agility and a strong wrist to turn Stevie Crawford's 18-yard snapshot wide of his right-hand post.

United showed composure in the 53rd minute as Dodds combined with Charlie Miller to create an opening on the left for Robson.

The ex-Inverness winger gathered possession on the angle and tried to score with the outside of his boot, but shot directly into the advertising hoardings at the side of the goal.

Robson made amends four minutes later, however, by helping set up McIntyre's opener.

He attempted to come in from the left wing and encountered two Pars defenders in his path but, undeterred, kept possession for a second or two before slipping a neat little pass into the area for McIntyre to chase.

The former Reading man nipped in ahead of Skerla, took the ball off his toe and created enough space to shoot.

Dunfermline had been caught entirely flat-footed and paid the price as McIntyre coolly fired a low shot across the goalkeeper's body into the far corner of the net.

McIntyre, showing no signs of rustiness after his recent lay-off, tried his luck again two minutes later, but could not keep his long range effort on target.

Calderwood moved to a 2-4-4 formation, with Andy Tod making up the fourth man in his quartet of strikers.

Dunfermline piled on the pressure in the closing stages, but United refused to be ruffled by the unorthodox tactics and held firm.

Teams:

Dundee Utd Gallacher, Wilson, Innes, McCracken, Archibald, Kerr, Miller, McIntyre (Easton 90), Robson, Dodds, McLaren (McInnes 62).

Subs Not Used: Bullock, Duff, Scotland.

Booked: Innes.

Goals: McIntyre 57.

Dunfermline Stillie, Shields, Scott Wilson, Skerla, Scott Thomson, Darren Young, Nicholson (Dempsey 84), Mason (Hunt 68), Labonte (Tod 46), Crawford, Derek Young.

Subs Not Used: Ruitenbeek, Byrne.

Booked: Derek Young.

Att: 5,564

Ref: K Clark (Scotland).