Dundee 0
Sheffield United 1
Anglo-Scottish Cup (2nd Round 2nd Leg)

Match Report

Dundee are out of the Anglo-Scottish Cup, beaten by a goal ten minutes from time by John MacPhail, a player they transferred to Sheffield United only last season.

It was a bitter blow for the Dens Parkers to swallow having started the game a goal behind from the first leg and battling all the way against a very competent United side.

Dundee will remember this as the night where they played some really good outfield football but just couldn't get the ball behind Conroy in the Sheffield goal. He brought off several magnificent saves and on other occasions had a touch of luck on his side.

Dundee changes Dundee were without Ally Donaldson and Stewart McLaren and Sheffield were minus Alex Sabella and John Matthews, who scored their dramatic winner in the final minute of the first leg.

Only a brilliant save by keeper Conroy after eight minutes from a Redford pile driver prevented Dundee from levelling the tie.

Sinclair provided a through pass for Redford, who shot fiercely for goal, and Conroy was hard pushed to touch the ball over the top for a corner.

At the other end, Geddes playing his first competitive game in goal for Dundee, was coolness itself in coming out to clutch a dangerous cross from Bourne.

De Goey had a chance for Sheffield after a good move from the visitors but his shot from inside the box was too high.

In 20 minutes, Fletcher brought out the best in Conroy with a low shot from outside the box which the keeper did well to parry but couldn't hold and MacPhail was happy to concede a corner.

Dundee were on top now but had to be careful with the quick breaks from the English side. In one such raid, a fine tackle by Glennie on Butlin relieved a tricky situation.

Three minutes from the inte val Dundee's luck was right out. Fletcher sent Shirra away on the right and the former Aberdeen player's cross to the far post was met by Sinclair who headed back across goal. Williamson just failed to make contact for what would have been a certain goal.

Geddes made his first real save of the match in 49 minutes; when he did well to turn a fierce drive from Butlin round the post.

Les Barr, behind most of the Dundee raids, was not all that far away with a shot which went over the top, but Dundee could have been in trouble when De Goey found Butlin's head with a perfect cross but the centre made a poor job of his header.

This had developed into a right good game with Sheffield now playing a far more active part.

In 61 minutes a Fletcher, Sinclair-Murphy move saw the wee winger nudged off the bal at the last moment when a goal seemed imminent.

Some of Dundee's build-up was excellent but their finishing did not quite match it. A fine run by Barr and a perfect cross produced an equally good header from Sinclair but Conroy was, once again on the spot to foil the home side.

With Dundee running out of time, Tommy Gemmell sent on Caldwell for Fletcher in a desperate bid to end the deadlock.

But he was no sooner on the field than John MacPhail, returning to his home town for the first time since his transfer, put the visitors in front with a flashing header from a Tibbott free kick to shatter his former mates.

Match report written by The Courier