United skipper Barry Robson lit up a bitterly cold day at Love Street with a brilliant long-range strike to win a scrappy Bank of Scotland Premier League clash 1-0 at St Mirren.

There was little to warm up the fans in the opening half hour, but both sides came close before the break. The Buddies failed to trouble United in the second half and Robson grabbed his fourth goal against the Saints this season with 12 minutes left. St Mirren handed Stephen O'Donnell a debut against his former club after signing the midfielder from Clyde and recalled Ian Maxwell, Alan Reid and John Potter.

United brought back lone striker Noel Hunt and handed former Cowdenbeath midfielder Morgaro Gomis his first start. The Tayside club had not scored in three games since knocking Saints out the Tennent's Scottish Cup, while the hosts have not won since Boxing Day - and both looked short of confidence in a scrappy opening. It took almost 20 minutes for Kirk Broadfoot to get the first effort towards goal, but his volley from the edge of the United area sailed well over.

Saints had the best of the opening quarter but failed to make the most of a series of free-kicks around the box. O'Donnell came close in the 23rd minute, though, when he headed a yard over from Richard Brittain's free-kick. Mark Corcoran had a header blocked from a corner and seemed to be harshly penalised as he tried to beat Mark Kerr to the loose ball.

United's first decent attack came in the 29th minute when Robson broke down the left and sent across a superb ball for Hunt. The Irishman looked offside, but he slid the ball wide at full stretch. The pair combined again 90 seconds later, but Hunt's glancing header drifted just wide. Hunt got the first effort on target in the 34th minute, but Chris Smith easily held his header.

The game continued to improve and Lee Wilkie headed off the line with John Sutton hovering after Maxwell had nodded Garry Brady's long free-kick goalwards. At the other end Robson beat Smith to Craig Conway's cross, but his header cleared the bar. Conway then cut inside and flashed a left-foot shot that Smith held. The former Ayr winger failed to get a shot in after being picked out by two Robson crosses in the opening stages of the second period.

Robson moved inside after Steven Robb and Collin Samuel came on, and the United skipper headed over after running on to a Kalvenes cross. David Robertson could not beat Smith with a low shot from 15 yards after sub Samuel's cross. United were looking far more likely to score now and Hunt prodded just wide from a narrow angle after running towards goal. And Robson broke the deadlock in the 78th minute with a stunning 25-yard strike into the top corner after a superb run down the left and measured pass inside by Robb.

The midfielder then whipped in a cross that Robertson just failed to get his head on. Saints failed to mount a comeback and Smith's block from Hunt in injury-time prevented United adding a second.

St Mirren: Smith, van Zanten, Broadfoot, Potter, Reid (Kean 64), Brittain, O'Donnell (McGinn 77), Maxwell, Brady, Corcoran (Burke 77), Sutton.
Subs Not Used: Hinchcliffe, Millen, Mackay, McKenna.

Booked: Broadfoot, van Zanten.

Dundee Utd: Stillie, Kalvenes, McCracken, Wilkie, Robson, Kerr, Conway (Robb 62), Dillon, Gomis (Samuel 67), Hunt, Robertson.
Subs Not Used: McLean, Daly, Duff, Kenneth, Watson.

Booked: Wilkie.

Goal: Robson 78.

Att: 3,849

Ref: M McCurry