Dundee United 1-0 PARS

DUNFERMLINE were unable to move closer to the Championship’s top four as they lost out to Dundee United tonight.

Thomas Mikkelsen’s first-half goal for the Terrors settled a contest that had begun brightly for the Pars but petered out into an evening where they carried little goal threat.

It means they remain sixth in the table and are still three points behind Queen of the South in fifth, while United moved closer to securing a top-four finish.

Allan Johnston named the same team that won Saturday’s Fife derby against Raith Rovers, while United boss Ray McKinnon also picked an identical side to that that drew with Falkirk.

There was an early half chance for the Pars when Nat Wedderburn started a promising move, spraying the ball wide for Andy Geggan to burst forward into space on the right. His inviting cross found the chest of Michael Moffat but the ball ran away from him before he could shoot.

The same man then did get an effort away when he was played through on the left edge of the area by Nicky Clark but his shot was wayward and never troubling Cammy Bell.

The visitors dominated the ball and territory in the opening quarter but clear chances were hard to find, as evidenced by Callum Morris straining his neck to meet a Kallum Higginbotham corner only for the ball to end well off target.

However, in the 22nd minute, it was the home side who had the game’s first clear opportunity.

Lee Ashcroft miscued a clearance as Blair Spittal found Simon Murray racing into the box, but he sent it wide of Sean Murdoch’s near post before sending a looping header onto the roof of the net moments later.

A long throw from Rhys McCabe then found Morris but he was too far out to cause Bell any problems with his header before what should have been a goal instead saw the Pars fall behind.

McCabe started the move, intercepting brilliantly on the right before firing an inviting early ball in for Moffat.

The ball was crying out to be hit but the striker elected to take a touch, which was too heavy and allowed Bell to gather.

From there, United broke forward and Murray supplied the ammunition for Mikkelsen to slide in and net from close range to give the home team an undeserved lead.

There was another scare for the Pars when a cross into the box ricocheted around dangerously – eventually off Callum Morris – into Murray’s path but he couldn’t bring it under control or shoot as Murdoch gathered.

At the other end just before the break, Jason Talbot’s deep cross was hooked back across well by Higginbotham for Clark, but his first-time effort was blocked by William Edjenguele before McCabe’s follow-up was also blocked.

Almost immediately at the start of the second half Murdoch raced out from his goal to block well from Spittal before again the Pars fashioned a decent opportunity.

McCabe and Geggan combined to find Higginbotham on the right, whose low ball was set up for someone to latch on to but it eluded Moffat and the chance was lost.

United almost doubled their advantage just before the hour mark when Tony Andreu crashed a super strike from range off the right-hand post, with Morris doing well to clear as Murray and Mikkelsen sniffed for scraps.

There was another sight of goal for Morris in the 63rd minute when he met Higginbotham’s corner, won by McMullan, but his header was unfortunately straight at Bell.

Johnston made a double switch in the 65th minute when Ryan Williamson and Gavin Reilly were sent on, perhaps surprisingly, for Andy Geggan and Michael Moffat but Williamson sent in a menacing delivery that Reilly just couldn’t quite meet as Pars tried to find a route back into proceedings.

It was the Arabs though who almost found the net again as the game moved into the final quarter when Spittal showed neat footwork at the edge of the area to move away from McCabe but his attempted curler was gathered well by Murdoch.

Joe Cardle was then sent on with 13 minutes left for McMullan as the Pars desperately sought an equaliser and they had a chance of doing so moments later.

McCabe’s throw was launched into the area and flicked on by Morris for Clark, whose speculative first-time effort was blocked and cleared to safety.

Try as they might, including with a couple of late corners won by Reilly, Pars couldn’t find an equaliser before Murdoch saved well from substitute Nick van der Velden in the final moments as United surely all-but secured their play-off place.

Dundee United: Bell, Durnan, Spittal, Murdoch, Murray, Edjenguele, Flood, Mikkelsen, Andreu, Robson, Allardice.

Subs: Dixon, Toshney, Telfer, Kuate, Coote, Van der Velden, Zwick.

Goal: Mikkelsen (31).

Pars: Murdoch, Geggan, Ashcroft, Morris, Talbot, McMullan, McCabe, Wedderburn, Higginbotham, Clark, Moffat.

Subs: Williamson, Martin, Paton, Cardle, Spence, Reilly, Hutton.

Referee: Willie Collum.

Attendance: 5,304.