Dundee United and Dunfermline battled out their fourth draw of the season.

Despite United's outstanding start to the game, a spell in which Fife goalkeeper Ian Westwater produced a handful of outstanding stops, it was the visitors who silenced the home fans with their 18th minute opener.

Dundonian Marc Millar was as surprised as anyone when he swung in a cross from the left and while Maurice Malpas was challenged by Gerry Britton, the ball swept past both and deceived goalkeeper Sieb Dykstra.

The home men were stunned - and seven minutes later the Pars doubled their lead with a gem of a second goal.

Andy Smith created the opening and Britton volleyed home a superb effort from 14 yards.

From then until the interval United were forced to withstand further Dunfermline pressure and midfielder Richard Huxford brought out the best in Dykstra with a blistering 30 yarder.

United's response after the interval was swift and decisive, and the Tangerines were back in the contest in the 48th minute.

Jamie Dolan slipped a defence-splitting pass through the visiting central rearguard and United's top scorer Kjell Olofsson did the rest with a powerful finish from 15 yards.

That opened the door for a tide of home attacks as United looked for an equaliser.

And it came 20 minutes from the end from the least likely of sources, home central defender Malpas.

The former Scotland defender raced forward to sweep Olofsson's cross from the right high into the net from eight yards.

After Malpas' strike United went all out for the three points which would have seen them finally edge clear of relegation trouble.

However they again found Dunfermline hero Westwater in top form, the keeper saving brilliantly from Sigi Jonsson before blocking substitute Steve Thompson's late chance at the second attempt.

Teams:

Dundee Utd: Dykstra, Jenkins, Malpas, Skoldmark (Bowman 26), Alsford, Pedersen (Easton 65), Olofsson, Jonsson, McSwegan, Dolan, Winters (Thompson 73).

Goals: Olofsson 48, Malpas 70.

Dunfermline: Westwater, Shields, McCulloch, Tod, Ireland, Huxford, Britton (Faulconbridge 80), Robertson, Smith, French, Millar (Den Bieman 82), Faulconbridge (Petrie 90).

Goals: Millar 19, Britton 25.

Att: 7,769

Ref: M Clark (Edinburgh).