Dundee United were denied by goalkeeper Colin Meldrum and the crossbar in a largely tame end-of-season Bank of Scotland Premier League clash with Motherwell.

Motherwell's Ross McCormack was first to strike the woodwork early on, before Meldrum made a wonder save, reminiscent of England goalkeeper Gordon Banks' famous stop from Pele in 1970, to keep out a Noel Hunt header.

United's Craig Conway then rattled the woodwork with a fine volley before the break and following the restart Meldrum made another good block, this time to deny Lee Mair, before he had to be substituted due to injury.

Departing United quartet Derek Stillie, David McCracken, Collin Samuel and Mair were all included, playing their final games for the Tannadice club. And following nine years of service for the Tangerines, McCracken was presented with a memento prior to kick-off.

United, like Motherwell, have endured another frustrating campaign, but despite that feeling of disappointment and a swirling wind making playing conditions extremely difficult, the game started brightly.

Motherwell's McCormack was the first to threaten, when following a nutmeg on McCracken in the fourth minute, the striker saw his clipped effort come off the top of Stillie's crossbar.

United responded with a Conway shot from 10 yards which was brilliantly pushed away by Meldrum, before McCormack again tried his luck, this time seeing a long-range drive beaten away by Stillie.

But that save was nothing compared to Meldrum's 15th-minute stop, as he threw himself down towards his near post to somehow scoop Hunt's flicked header off the line.

Eventually, following a lull in proceedings, Samuel decided to spring to life and the Trinidad and Tobago international cut inside from the right wing before curling a left-footed effort just wide.

In the 37th minute, United came even closer to scoring as Conway's thumping volley on the turn crashed off the underside of Meldrum's bar and bounced on the right side of the line from a Motherwell perspective.

Greg Cameron met the rebound with a firm header, but Meldrum was well placed to make another good save.

United continued to test the Motherwell goalkeeper at the start of the second half, but despite their best efforts, they could not find a way to goal.

In the 58th minute, Mair did tremendously well to out-muscle Paul Quinn and get on the end of Steven Robb's free-kick, but at full stretch Meldrum brilliantly parried the home defender's powerful diving header.

Meldrum then almost undid all of his good work when he played a goal-kick straight to Conway, but the former Kilmarnock stopper made amends by blocking the winger's resultant shot.

Much to Motherwell's annoyance, in the 61st minute Meldrum had to be substituted after sustaining an injury in those exchanges and Graeme Smith came on to play the remainder of the game in goal for the visitors.

It did not take long for Smith to be called into action for the first time, as the replacement made a good save low to his left-hand side, to push a searing Sean Dillon shot around the post.

There were few chances late on, although McCormack came close with a terrific volley which flew just over following an aimless attempted clearing header by McCracken.

In the end both teams will have been relatively satisfied with a point, although there will be pressure to deliver more next season.

Teams

Dundee Utd Stillie, Dillon, McCracken, Mair, Robb, Kerr,Cameron (Robertson 74), Gomis, Conway (Duff 90), Hunt,Samuel (Johnny Russell 83).

Subs Not Used: McLean, Easton, Goodwillie, Andreoni.

Motherwell Meldrum (Graeme Smith 61), Quinn (Corrigan 77),Kinniburgh, Reynolds, Paterson, Connolly, Vadocz, Darren Smith,Fitzpatrick, Jamie Murphy, McCormack.

Subs Not Used: Craigan, McLean, Clarkson, Keegan, McGarry.

Att: 6,070

Ref: A Crawford (Scotland).