A Christian Kalvenes header which rattled off the crossbar was the closest Dundee United came to scoring as they were held to a goalless draw by Falkirk.

Kalvenes met a lofted cross from Darren Dods with a fine looping effort in the 21st minute, only for the ball to carry over the outstretched arm of Robert Olejnik and smack off the woodwork.

Falkirk improved during the second half with substitute Russell Latapy shooting just wide, but United will still believe they should have found a route to goal given the amount of opportunities they created.

United have typically utilised a loan striker in the vast majority of their games so far this season, but for the visit of Falkirk the Tannadice club started with two up front.

Mark de Vries and the returning Noel Hunt - who started as a substitute in last weekend's draw at Inverness - were handed the task of trying to form a potent attacking partnership and the early signs were promising.

The Irishman did well to clip a cross to the back post with the outside of his right-foot, where the ball was met by de Vries, who headed across goal and wide.

Falkirk's first serious attack was halted by a marginal offside decision that prevented Pedro Moutinho from taking advantage of Graham Barrett's through-ball.

Hunt continued to look sprightly for United and in the 15th minute his 18-yard shot was blocked by a great stop from Olejnik.

The Falkirk goalkeeper was then left stranded by a header from Kalvenes, but agonisingly for the home side the ball rebounded off the crossbar.

United remained in control of the game, forcing Falkirk back into their own half through a sustained period of pressure, although the hosts were struggling to create clear-cut openings.

A corner from Danny Swanson on the half-hour mark finally caused problems in the Falkirk area, but de Vries was ultimately unable to force the ball past Olejnik.

In the final play of the first half de Vries nudged a well controlled knock-down into the path of Prince Buaben. The midfielder connected well with his half-volley, but Olejnik dived low to his left-hand side to make a fine save.

Falkirk decided to summon the creative force of Latapy from the substitutes' bench during the interval, with the ineffective Scott Arfield making way.

However, it was another veteran, in the shape of de Vries, who was to come closest to scoring in the opening stages of the second half.

The former Hearts player took off on a surging run that carried him straight through the middle of a stretched Falkirk defence.

Just as de Vries was about to unleash his shot at goal though, Darren Barr slid in to put the striker off his stride.

The timely intervention was enough to force de Vries into shooting wide.

Unperturbed, de Vries then tried to once again batter his way through the Falkirk backline, but once again his effort carried past the frame of Olejnik's goal.

In the 63rd minute Latapy made his presence felt for the first time, when after steadying himself on the ball, the Falkirk midfielder's shot almost crept inside the far post.

The second period was proving to be a far closer affair than the first, but with 12 minutes remaining, United once again started to put Falkirk under pressure, with Dods seeing a low drive saved by Olejnik.

A corner from Flood was then headed back across goal by Lee Wilkie, only for Kalvenes to volley over from close range.

With three minutes remaining Falkirk failed to clear another corner from Flood and Wilkie was offered the chance to shoot on the turn.

However, Olejnik was again up to the task and produced a good save to ensure the match ended in a stalemate.

Teams:

Dundee Utd Zaluska, Dillon, Wilkie, Dods, Kalvenes, Kerr, Buaben, Gomis, Swanson (Flood 68), Hunt, De Vries.

Subs Not Used: McLean, Grainger, O'Brien, David Robertson,

Conway, Odhiambo.

Booked: Swanson.

Falkirk Olejnik, Ross, Barr, Milne, Scobbie, McBride, Moutinho, Cregg, Arfield (Latapy 46), Barrett, Clarke (Robertson 72).

Subs Not Used: Supple, Bradley, Aafjes, Riera, Stewert.

Booked: Barrett, Clarke.

Att: 6,835

Ref: M Tumilty (Scotland).