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Fraser Aird (right) was a constant danger for Dunfermline and came close to scoring

Dundee United had to settle for a first-leg draw in their Premiership play-off quarter-final despite Dunfermline being reduced to 10 men.

Lee Ashcroft was sent off after 54 minutes for felling Scott McDonald but the Pars survived comfortably enough.

Declan McManus earlier flicked a header against the bar and Fraser Aird's effort was tipped over by Deniz Mehmet.

Scott Fraser and McDonald went close for United but they were grateful for Mehmet when he denied Nicky Clark.

The second leg will take place at Tannadice on Friday, 4 May, with the winners facing Livingston, who finished second, in another two-legged encounter at the semi-final stage.

Dunfermline had not beaten United at East End Park for 11 years but started with the confidence of a 10-match unbeaten run behind them, Aird proving a threat down the left flank.

The hosts were forced into a change after 24 minutes when Andy Ryan was forced off with a hamstring injury, McManus coming on.

Within seconds he came close to making the breakthrough, inches away from connecting with Clark's dangerous ball into the box.

The former Morton striker then saw his header come back off the underside of the crossbar with Mehmet scrambling across his line.

Dunfermline had Lee Ashcroft sent off by referee Bobby Madden after 54 minutes

Scott Fraser tried his luck for United, referee Bobby Madden turning down their claims for a penalty when his effort was deflected wide.

Ten minutes into the second half came the game's controversial moment, when McDonald was sent through on goal 30 yards out and was brought down by Ashcroft.

Referee Bobby Madden immediately brought out the red card, with the hosts forced to play the final 35 minutes with 10 men.

"It was never a red card," Pars boss Allan Johnston told BBC Scotland. "It was a big decision and a bad call. Hopefully the referee will look at it and realise it was a big mistake.

"Credit to the players - they stuck in and defended really well. I thought for the majority of the game we were the better team, and even with 10 men, we created chances on the counter-attack."

'We needed more patience against 10 men'

United sensed an opportunity and Fraser was inches away with a drive from just inside the box, while McDonald forced Lee Robinson into a magnificent one-handed save.

Dunfermline were not content to hang on though and Clark forced Mehmet into a magnificent diving save high to his right.

United boss Csaba Laszlo admitted his side "should win the game" given their numerical advantage.

"We had a couple of chances but the problem is we didn't score," he said. "We needed more patience against 10 men to pass the ball more and find the killer pass.

"But Dunfermline were favourites at home and we didn't concede a goal, so let's go to Tannadice and hopefully we can score goals there."