QoS 0-3 Dundee Utd

Stuart Duff scored United's third goal at Palmerston

Dundee United recovered from their CIS Cup battering to progress through to the quarter finals of the Scottish Cup. Jim McIntyre fired Ian McCall's side in front in the 13th minute, firing high past goalkeeper Colin Scott.

Mark Wilson thumped in a drive from 35 yards that Scott should have dealt with and a scuffed clearance fell to Stuart Duff to score before half time.

First Division Queen of the South were no match for the SPL visitors and never looked like getting back into the tie.

McCall's future at Tannadice has been the centre of much media speculation, following their 7-1 drubbing from Rangers on Wednesday.

But his players responded well and negotiated what could have been a difficult match with ease.

United went ahead when Stevie Crawford's flicked header located McIntyre in plenty of space in the penalty box and the striker sent a rising drive into the net.

The former Rangers keeper had been given little chance of stopping that one, but should have done better when Wilson beat him from long distance in the 24th minute.

The Scotland Under-21 international had seen a pass upfield headed back to him by a defender and his immediate response was to belt the ball goalwards on the volley.

It was struck with power but Scott had time to get across to his left-hand post, where he helped it over the line.

The third goal was the result of another error, with Willie Gibson's attempted clearance of a McIntyre cross fell straight to Duff, who shot past Scott.

McIntyre might have grabbed a second goal 10 minutes into the second half following a run from Robson which was followed by a defence-opening pass.

But the striker could only hit the side-netting from a position on the left of the box.

United were content to allow the game to meander slowly to a satisfactory conclusion and the home side failed to trouble the visiting defence in a dull final period.

Queen of the South: Scott, Paton, Reid, Thomson, Craig, Burns (Payne 73), Bowey, McColligan, Gibson (McLaughlin 45), McNiven (Jaconelli 58), Lyle. Subs Not Used: English, Barnard.

Booked: McColligan.

Dundee Utd: Bullock, Mair, McCracken (Kenneth 36), Ritchie, Archibald, Wilson, Kerr (Brebner 76), Duff, Robson (Scotland 69), Crawford, McIntyre. Subs Not Used: Colgan, Grady.

Goals: McIntyre 13, Wilson 24, Duff 39.

Att: 5,532

Ref: D McDonald