Positives to take for Terrors in Tunnock’s Cup, however

It came when Jamie Robson, otherwise excellent as a makeshift centre-half, caught Michael McKenna with a miss-timed challenge.

The contact was accidental, but clear, and how Roncone found it in himself to wave play on was a mystery.

During what was never an exciting game, the Lichties were also able to work themselves into a few decent positions but without really troubling Deniz Mehmet in the home goal.

For boss Neilson, seeing Pawlett get his second start of the season and coming through 82 minutes unscathed must have been a sizeable consolation for the result.

Likewise, the game time the likes of Paul Watson, Cammy Smith and Adam King got meant this was not a wasted afternoon.

And Argentine full-back Adrian Sporle looked more comfortable with the rigours of the Scottish game than he did when first introduced during that Betfred campaign, though he still has a way to go if he is going to challenge Robson for the left-back slot.

Those positives must have gone a long way to numbing the pain of the result.

The fact is, for United, losing in a cup that is not their priority and with an under-strength team is not the end of the world, or even close to it.

It’s also clear the fans were not too worried about the “biscuit cup” either. Having sold out three sides of Tannadice for the derby against Dundee eight days earlier, only just over 2,000 of them turned up for this one.

If United stay top of the league, this will soon be forgotten.