By Clive Lindsay

John Sutton scored twice for Motherwell as they and holders Dundee United ensured that a third Scottish Cup quarter-final will go to a replay.

Sutton opened the scoring after only a minute, rising to head home a corner.

David Goodwillie's brilliant overhead kick levelled the scores five minutes before half-time.

Sutton slid in at the front post to restore the lead after 72 minutes, but Jon Daly swept in a reply seconds later before the thrilling tie ended level.

The stalemate ensured that all eight teams will enter the draw for the semi-finals after three ties went to replays and Sunday's Inverness Caledonian Thistle-Celtic tie was postponed.

United will be hoping for a repeat of 1994, when they were held to a 2-2 draw at Tannadice before progressing with a 1-0 win at Fir Park.

Motherwell will be looking to replicate their 1-0 home win over United in October in the Co-operative Insurance Cup.

United were back at full-strength after manager Peter Houston rested several players for Thursday's Scottish Premier League win over Hamilton Accies.

Craig Conway, Paul Dixon, Prince Buaben and Danny Swanson came in for Timothy van der Meulen, David Robertson, Andis Shala and Johnny Russell.

Sutton scored twice for Motherwell at Tannadice

Motherwell were without the suspended Steve Jennings and fellow midfielder Ross Forbes dropped out as Steven Saunders and Stephen Craigan returned to be part of a defence featuring four central defenders.

It looked like the visitors were about to play conservatively, but they were immediately on the front foot after slackness from United conceded a corner.

Sutton rose above the United defence to meet Stevie Hammell's corner and his downward header from 10 yards deceived goalkeeper Dusan Pernis and bobbled over the line.

Conway fired a free-kick straight at goalkeeper Darren Randolph, but Motherwell were proving dangerous on the break and Francis Jeffers sent a low drive wide of the far post at the other end.

Only a superb, one-handed stop by Randolph prevented Goodwillie equalising with a low, 16-yard drive after a mazy run from the striker.

It was a more comfortable save for the goalkeeper when a Swanson through ball deflected into the path of Buaben, who was unable to put enough bend or power on the ball to find the inside of the far post from the edge of the box.

Pernis produced a fine stop of his own to turn a Keith Lasley half-volley from the edge of the penalty box over the crossbar.

United had a shout for a penalty waved away by referee Calum Murray when Goodwillie went to ground after another run into the box was thwarted under pressure from Saunders.

However, when Keith Watson curled in a cross, Randolph could not get a strong enough hand on Goodwillie's brilliantly athletic overhead kick from 14 yards to prevent it spinning over the goal-line.

After a more cagey start to the second half, Motherwell were first to find the target and Pernis did well to get a strong hand to a low Lasley effort from the edge of the box.

Daly came on for Conway and immediately made an impact, although he probably should have found the target as he met a Barry Douglas corner and sent the header over the crossbar from 14 yards.

However, the visitors struck next when Hammell played a one-two with Jeffers and the defender's low cross to the front post was prodded in by Sutton.

The sides were level again straight from the kick-off, with Swanson's cross evading Goodwillie and two defenders before the unmarked Daly swept it into the net from five yards.

Motherwell winger Chris Humphreys was off target with a back-post volley as both sides pushed for a winner that never came and the sides are now scheduled to meet again on 29 March.

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