United leapfrogged St Mirren into ninth place in the Bank of Scotland Premier League table with a 1-0 win over the Paisley club at Tannadice.

Noel Hunt scored the only goal of the game in the 64th minute when he forced the ball over the line after David Robertson turned a Stuart Duff delivery back across the face of goal.

The visitors created some good chances in the first half and John Sutton was left aggrieved when he was adjudged offside in the 22nd minute while through on goal.

The match had begun in fiery fashion with a late challenge from David Robertson on Richard Brittain opening proceedings, but the opening stages yielded little positive football.

In the 11th minute, a mistimed sliding tackle by Lee Mair on Simon Lappin handed St Mirren a free-kick 25 yards from goal.

But Lappin blasted his shot straight into a resolute United wall positioned far less than the required 10 yards away.

The home side responded with their first shot of the game six minutes later when Stuart Duff surged forward and sent a low drive from 25 yards past Tony Bullock's left-hand post.

Bullock was again called into action when Hunt's header following Barry Robson's cross forced a good save from the English keeper.

However, United were fortunate not to fall behind in the 22nd minute, as Sutton was ruled offside when racing through on goal.

The former Dundee striker looked to have timed his run well even though his fellow forward Billy Mehmet was retreating from behind the United backline.

Sutton was then denied by a fine block from Derek Stillie, who was well placed to parry a powerful left-footed strike from 14 yards.

The United keeper was under pressure shortly afterwards though, when an inswinging corner from the right-hand side by Lappin caused all sorts of problems in the home penalty area.

Eventually the ball broke to Buddies' central defender John Potter, but his volley was deflected by Robson and the ball went behind for another corner which was punched clear by Stillie.

Then Kirk Broadfoot delivered a good cross from the left, which was met by the head of the on-rushing Murray.

Dundee Utd: Stillie, Duff, Kenneth (Archibald 68), Mair,Kalvenes, Conway, Kerr, Cameron, Robson, Hunt (Samuel 90),Robertson (Smith 86).

Subs Not Used: Smith, Brady, Molloy, Mackay.

Booked: Broadfoot.

Goal: Hunt 64.

Att: 5,681

St Mirren: Bullock, Millen, Broadfoot, Potter, van Zanten,Brittain (Kean 70), Reid (Burke 80), Lappin, Murray,Mehmet (McKenna 86), Sutton.

Subs Not Used: McLean, Wilkie, Easton, Goodwillie.

Booked: Robson.

Referee: B Winter (Scotland)