Dundee United are slight favourites to get through this Premiership play-off quarter-final after drawing against 10-man Dunfermline at East End Park.
The Tangerines should be reasonably happy to take a 0-0 draw back to Tannadice for Friday’s return leg despite failing to cash in on the red card for Pars defender Lee Ashcroft.
The hosts had been dominating but they were a player lighter on 55 minutes after Ashcroft was ordered off for fouling United frontman Scott McDonald.
So it is advantage – just – to Csaba Laszlo’s men but the Fifers will still fancy their chances and may even be spurred on by a sense of injustice at the sending-off.
The hosts were unchanged from the side that kicked off against Dumbarton, while the Tangerines brought in skipper Willo Flood and Thomas Mikkelsen for Sam Stanton and Craig Slater following their win over Livingston.
United were unbeaten in 13 matches against the Pars going back to August 20, 2011 when a Paul Burns goal gave the Fifers a 1-0 victory at Tannadice.
After a huddle from the home players, the game got going in front of a big, noisy crowd.
The first real threat on either goal came on four minutes and it was for Dunfermline, with Lewis Martin swinging in a fine cross from the left that evaded Andy Ryan.
A race up the left flank on 10 minutes earned some time and space for Fraser Aird to fire another ball over but the home team couldn’t find an end product.
The Pars looked dangerous again just after the quarter-hour when Kallum Higginbotham burst into the United box but the Tannadice men eventually booted clear.
There was a blow for the home side on 25 minutes when Ryan hobbled off injured to be replaced by Declan McManus.
The visitors were seeing a fair bit of the ball as well but weren’t really showing as an attacking force, with a shot from McDonald that went wide all they had to show as the match reached its quarter point,
Indeed, it was Dunfermline on the front foot again on 27 minutes when Nicky Clark sent a low ball across the face of goal that was just missed by sub McManus.
On the half-hour mark, United’s Grant Gillespie tried his luck from 25 yards but his strike flew well over the Dunfermline bar.
There was a wonderful opportunity for the Pars on 35 minutes when Tangerines’ defender Bilel Mohsni slid in on McManus just outside the box but Aird sent the freekick over.
Only the woodwork saved the visitors on 38 minutes. It was another cross from the left from Aird that found the head of McManus and his header appeared to be looping in but instead struck the bar.
United were struggling to cope with sub McManus and the pressure on the away goal continued as James Vincent volleyed over.
They did, though, have a period of pressure right at the end of the first half that included a penalty appeal for a handball after a Scott Fraser shot was blocked.
There was plenty of room for improvement from the Tannadice team in the second period but the first chance after the restart fell to the Pars, with a close-range header from McManus saved by keeper Deniz.
United’s Fraser was booked for a foul on dangerman McManus on 51 minutes before Deniz made a spectacular dive to tip over a curling shot from Aird.
With the away side hanging on they got a big break on 55 minutes when their opponents were reduced to 10 men.
Ashcroft was the man to march for hauling down McDonald as the Australian tried to break clear on goal. Referee Bobby Madden thought for a second or two then waved the red card.
It looked to be a bit harsh and the home fans were furious at the official, while Higginbotham was booked for complaining.
As expected, United got a new lease of life and produced a wonderful move on 61 minutes when Mikkelsen laid the ball back to McDonald, who fired just inches past.
It was a night of fine goalkeeping and the visitors’ Deniz was next to shine when he leapt to his right to keep out a header from Clark.
Up at the other end, Robinson stopped an Anthony Ralston cross from sneaking in at his near post before the visitors brought on Sam Stanton for Gillespie.
Stanton was straight into the action and he had a shot deflected away for a corner. When the ball came over Ralston’s strike was blocked on the line by Clark.
It looked set to be 1-0 to the Tangerines on 62 minutes when King played the ball past Robinson but it just cleared the far post after hitting sub Jason Talbot’s leg. Mohsni then had a header deflected over.
Mikkelsen was replaced by fellow Dane Emil Lyng on 75 minutes as United kept looking for a goal.
Mohsni, up for a corner, had a low shot saved by Robinson two minutes later then there was a break in play as Dunfermline’s Ryan Williamson received treatment. He was eventually replaced by Nat Wedderburn.
The final minutes saw United pressing their opponents back but just failing to find the cutting edge required to grab the lead.
Attendance: 6,474.
Dunfermline: Robinson, Williamson (Wedderburn 87), Martin, Morris, Ashcroft, Craigen, Vincent, Aird, Higginbotham (Talbot 63), Ryan (McManus 25), Clark. Subs not used: Gill, Duthie, Cardle, Armstrong.
Dundee United: Deniz, Murdoch, McDonald, Mikkelsen (Lyng 75), Fraser, King, Flood, Robson, Gillespie (Stanton 57), Ralston, Mohsni. Subs not used: Lewis, Scobbie, McMullan, Edjenguele, Slater.
Referee: Bobby Madden.
