A rather scrappy affair at Tannadice ended goalless with chances few and far between, but
of the few that were created, the Tangerines had the better ones.
Whilst the Pars held the edge territorially in the first half, United twice went close.
After just six minutes, Gavin Gunning's shot was cleared off the line and on 36 minutes, Reghan Tumilty crashed a right foot shot from ten yards off the post.
The only real threat from the Pars came seven minutes from the interval when Kerr Young headed a Scott Mercer corner inches over.
The second half saw United twice go close. After 64 minutes, a Scott Fraser was blocked by Lewis Martin. A minute later, Jamie Montgomery burst into the box, but the Fifers' keeper Ryan Goodfellow got down well to parry his effort for a corner in what was the only occasion on which either keeper was really tested.
Dundee United: McCallum, Wilson, Gilmour. Petrie, Harwood, Gunning, Montgomery, Millar, Russell (Allan 81), Fraser, Tumilty. Subs not used: McGovern, Hendry, Coote, Allardyce, McLaughlin, B Smith.
Dunfermline Athletic: Goodfellow, Williamson, Drummond, Young, Martin, Kane, Ferguson, Spence (O'Kane 73), A Smith, El-Baurtoui (Gray 75), Mercer (Graham 70)