Dundee United 0 Dunfermline 0

Pars fans roared their approval as their heroes held on for a battling draw with goalie Deniz Mehmet securing a point with a stunning last gasp save.

James McPake’s men were forced back for long spells but defended well and had their chances, with a great stop to deny Sam Fisher seconds before the break and sub Craig Wighton striking the post from close range in the second half.

Still without seven injured first-team players, Athletic dug in to frustrate United and restricted them to very few clear chances. 

But it looked like the league leaders had won it until Mehmet flew to his left to deny sub Archie Meekison with an amazing one-handed stop.

Despite the fine rearguard display, it's six games without a win for the Pars who actually drop a place in the table to seventh - although they have the next three league matches at home.

You could forgive them for being a little rusty after just over three weeks without a game, due to back-to-back postponements at East End Park they hadn’t kicked a ball since the 2-1 defeat at Hampden on January 5.

There were four changes to the Dunfermline team beaten by Queen’s Park that night, with injured duo Aaron Comrie and Alex Jakubiak out of the squad while Paul Allan and Wighton dropped to the bench.

In for his debut came former Tottenham defender Malachi Fagan-Walcott, who is on loan from Cardiff City, while Fisher was back after suffering concussion and a nasty facial injury against Raith in the New Year clash.

Lewis McCann returned to the frontline after recovering from a hamstring problem while Ewan Otoo was restored to add some bite and strength to the back three.

Recent history wasn’t on Athletic’s side as their last win at Tannadice was almost six years ago - albeit they’ve been in different divisions over the past few years – and they hadn’t won any of the three previous meetings this campaign.

Pars started slowly and were hemmed in as United probed for an opening, forcing a series of corners without overly troubling Mehmet in the away goal.

Dunfermline were happy to soak up the pressure, frustrate and try and catch the Terrors on the counter attack, with Ben Summers carrying the fight to the league leaders.

He found McCann for an early chance and the striker cut inside on to his right foot but his drive cannoned back off United defender Ross Graham and hit him full in the face.

McCann was back on a few minutes later with what looked like two bits of Kleenex shoved up his nose to stem the blood.

There was a sharp intake of breath when Fisher sliced a dangerous cross out for a corner, just as Tony Watt threatened in front of goal, but Athletic survived again.

And later in the half the Pars defender stepped back onto his own line to head Liam Grimshaw’s effort out for a corner, the midfielder’s curling effort might just have been creeping in at the back post.

The failure of Jim Goodwin’s side to make the most of the possession they enjoyed began to irk the home support, with Athletic posing more of a threat on the break.

Chris Hamilton had an effort charged down and Michael O’Halloran, who popped up to make two vital interceptions in his own half, raced up the other end and hammered a dangerous low ball across goal that United struggled to deal with.

Graham headed high into the stand and Kevin Holt had a strike from distance that looped up off Fisher’s leg and over the bar, but Pars restricted them to half chances.

One of the best opportunities fell to Dunfermline just before the break when the ball broke to Fisher on the edge of the box and he connected with a ferocious half volley that had Walton scrambling.

The keeper just managed to get down at his right hand post to shovel the ball away for a corner and leave the Pars man with his head in his hands.

The home fans howled for a penalty in the 50th minute when Otoo and Kai Fotheringham collided, as they competed for Watt’s pass into the box, but the ref wasn’t interested when the United man tumbled to the ground.

Pars had a great chance when McCann pinched possession and found Owen Moffat around 30 yards out. He had an unmarked Summers steaming up on his outside but didn’t see him, took a touch and lost the ball.

Wighton replaced McCann on the hour and the ex-Dundee man – who loves a goal against United – almost bagged another one.

O’Halloran drilled in a low cross from the right, the Dunfermline striker turned it goalwards but the ball hit the post and rolled wide. It looked like Walton had diverted it onto the post but the ref gave a goal kick.

In the 77th minute Edwards controlled a high ball on the left, his deflected cross was fumbled into the six yard box by Walton but as Hamilton raced in to try and thump the bouncing ball into the net, Holt got in the way and made a goal-saving block.

United piled forward in search of a winning goal but with a couple of minutes left it was the Pars that almost grabbed it, Summers making space for the shot but cracking the ball over the bar.

There was still time for United and in the second minute of added time Meekison’s curling effort looked destined for the top corner, only for Mehmet to leap to his left and claw the ball away for an amazing save.

In the dying embers of the game Edwards raced back to clear the ball off the line, he ended up stuck in the net himself, but the flag was up in any case.

The reaction at full-time told a story. The away fans gave Dunfermline's players a standing ovation while United supporters booed their team off the pitch.