This was not a game in which Dunfermline should have left with maximum points. A combination of poor defending from the hosts and some weak finishing gifted the Pars victory.
The visitors went ahead in the ninth minute with a spectacular goal. Scott Thomson's free kick was headed down by Craig Brewster for Gary Dempsey to hit a 20 yard shot high into the top corner giving Paul Gallacher no chance.
Following a lull in play, it was two seven minutes later after some comical defending by United's centre pairing of Jim Lauchlan and Kevin McGowne. The former tried to clear but hit the ball off his colleague giving Steve Crawford the easiest of chances to slot home from eight yards.
The Tangerines tried to recover from this setback with continuous driving play down the right flank, but with the Pars playing some excellent football on the break, it was a difficult task. Despite the ball almost being permanently encamped in the Pars half for long periods, the visiting defence was resolute to the pressure giving them a deserved half-time lead.
The pressure of the Terrors was finally rewarded five minutes into the second half. Charlie Miller released Warren Cummings on the left flank but his low curling cross was missed by Mark Wilson. Accepting the break of the ball, Derek Lilley wriggled between two defenders and drilled a low shot into the corner of the net from 13 yards.
The home pressure became intense with Steven Thompson unlucky with a fabulous overhead in the 62nd minute then a Jamie Paterson curler in the 72nd. At the other end, rare breaks by Brewster and Crawford were causing mayhem.
In fact, United could have been ahead as both Thompson and Paterson missed glaring opportunities in the 74th and 76th minutes respectively.
So the Pars, with their last breath, held out for a fortuitous three points