Inverness and Dundee United's first meeting since Tannadice player-manager Craig Brewster attempted a summer raid on his old club ended in a goalless stalemate.

The home side created the clearer cut chances and United were fortunate that when Craig Dargo turned Ross Tokely's 38th minute cross-shot into the net, the striker was ruled offside. However, Brewster's side also looked threatening in attack and were unfortunate not to take the lead in the 10th minute when Craig Conway struck the bar with a powerful drive from 18 yards.

Brewster made several unsuccessful bids to prise Darren Dods and Ian Black away from the Caledonian Stadium, while he was also linked with swoops for Mark Brown and Craig Dargo - all of whom started for an unchanged Inverness side following last weekend's 4-1 win at Motherwell. The only player who did make the switch from the Highlands to Tayside was David Proctor and the right-back was part of the United line-up.

Given the animosity which developed between the clubs during the close season, some had predicted this fixture would quickly become a grudge match full of needle, but the game began in typical fashion, with Inverness creating the first opportunity in the seventh minute. Roy McBain seized on a misplaced header by United forward Stuart Duff in midfield and took the ball out wide to the left wing, where he delivered a cross from which Dargo's header was well gathered by visiting goalkeeper Derek Stillie.

United midfielder Craig Conway then struck the bar from 18 yards after capitalising on Ross Tokely's failed attempt at an interception, before United built another strong attack down the left. This time full-back Christian Kalvenes delivered a low, driven centre into the Inverness box, which was fired over the bar by a lunging David Proctor. Dargo then wasted a good opportunity for Inverness when he tried in vain to lift the ball over Stillie from the edge of the area, but from the away keeper's throw-out, Kalvenes nearly played his team into trouble. After taking too long to compose himself on the ball, the left-back was robbed of possession by Barry Wilson, who delivered a cross which John Rankin directed just wide on the volley.

Seven minutes before the interval, Inverness blew the best opportunity of the first half when Graham Bayne fired straight at Stillie, although after United failed to clear the ball, Tokely found himself through on goal. The right-back proceeded to send a cross-shot towards the back post, but with his effort going wide, an offside Dargo turned the ball into the net and the goal was rightly chalked off. Dundee United made two alterations to their team early in the second half, with Noel Hunt replacing Collin Samuel during the interval and Brewster replacing Mark Kerr shortly afterwards - much to the displeasure of the home support who vented their opinion of their former manager's actions during the last transfer window. Disappointingly, though, after a clutch of goalscoring chances were created in the first 45 minutes, neither team were able to fashion any openings in the opening stages of the second period.

For Inverness, Dargo twice blasted shots from good positions off target, while United saw Brewster have a goal correctly disallowed for a clear offside infringement. With 10 minutes remaining, a Grant Munro flick from Rankin's measured corner finally caused problems in the United rearguard, but nothing came of the set-piece as the away side managed to clear the danger. Substitute Steven Robb's cross was met by a towering header from Barry Robson, but the former Caley Thistle player was denied the winning goal as Brown's brilliant block ensured the match ended goalless.

Inverness CT: Brown, Tokely, Dods, Munro, Hastings, Wilson (Keogh 72), Black (Morgan 79), Rankin, McBain, Bayne, Dargo (McAllister 84). Subs Not Used: Fraser, McCaffrey, Duncan, Sutherland.

Booked: Black.

Dundee Utd: Stillie, Kalvenes, Archibald, Kenneth, Proctor, Conway, Kerr (Brewster 53), Cameron, Robson, Duff (Robb 71), Samuel (Hunt 45). Subs Not Used: McLean, Mair, Easton, Robertson.

Booked: Cameron.

Att: 3,586

Ref: K Clark