Hibernian missed the chance to cut the gap on third-placed Aberdeen to three points in the Bank of Scotland Premier League after an insipid goalless draw at Dundee United.

The Edinburgh club should have taken the lead as early as the fourth minute but, after being put through on goal by Abdessalam Benjelloun, Guillaume Beuzelin could only hit the crossbar.

After that bright opening, the match disappointingly degenerated into a fairly lifeless affair, although Noel Hunt was denied a goal 14 minutes from time by a wonderful save by visiting keeper Simon Brown.

Beuzelin's close-range effort, which struck the frame of the goal, had suggested this would be an entertaining encounter.

Unfortunately, the Tannadice pitch has been infested by the larvae of daddy longlegs and both teams struggled on an uneven playing surface.

Nevertheless, Hibs almost took an unorthodox aerial route to goal in the 14th minute when United goalkeeper Derek Stillie had to push away an errant David Murphy cross from underneath his own crossbar.

Shortly afterwards, David Robertson had to leave the field in order to receive stitches after sustaining a cut in a clash of heads with Chris Hogg, but he was able to return 10 minutes later.

In the meantime, Murphy went close with a searing half-volley, which was only directed off target by the timely intervention of Lee Wilkie's head.

United started to come more into the game as the opening period wore on and, from dangerous delivery by Barry Robson, Craig Conway saw his header across goal well cleared by Hogg.

Hunt then sent an overhead kick wide, while the home side should have opened the scoring just before the break when Robson beat two Hibs defenders after taking control of a throw-in by Sean Dillon, but the United captain's shot just eluded Conway at the back post.

The Tangerines began the second period on the front foot, wasting a good opportunity after Hibs keeper Brown could only weakly clear a Christian Kalvenes cross as far as Collin Samuel, who wildly volleyed wide.

Hibs retaliated with an opportunistic 20-yard volley from Steven Whittaker, which landed on the roof of Stillie's goal, but that was all the visitors could offer in attack during the whole of the second half.

For United, Robson valiantly tried to inject some life into a dull encounter with a shot from distance, more credible in ambition than it was in execution.

However, the hosts then came agonisingly close to scoring, with Brown having to produce an outstanding fingertip save to turn Hunt's volley around the post.

Conway was the architect in swinging over a cross from the left wing that was chested into Hunt's path by Samuel, but the former Dunfermline forward could only look on in anguish as Brown made a crucial block.

The Hibs keeper also had to tip over a powerful free-kick from Robson with only three minutes remaining, but ultimately this poor match was always destined to end in a stalemate.

Teams:

Dundee Utd Stillie, Dillon, McCracken, Wilkie, Kalvenes,Robertson, Kerr, Robson, Samuel, Hunt (Gomis 89),Conway (Daly 78).

Subs Not Used: McLean, Mair, Duff, Goodwillie, Watson.

Booked: Robson.

Hibernian Simon Brown, Hogg, Martis, Jones,Murphy (Stewart 61), Whittaker, Scott Brown, Beuzelin,Stevenson, Fletcher (Sowunmi 78), Benjelloun.

Subs Not Used: Grof, McCann, Lynch, Campbell, Chisholm.

Booked: Benjelloun, Stewart.

Att: 6,453

Ref: K Clarke (Scotland).