Dundee 0
Aberdeen 0
League Cup (Quarter Final 1st Leg)

Match Report

Dundee got off to a very good start and might have been a goal up in the early stages, and indeed played really well throughout the first half.

After the interval, Aberdeen had more of the ball and had at least two good chances to win the match but the Dundee defence was outstanding and prevented the Dons from ever really getting into their stride. I thought Dundee might have

had a penalty eight minutes from the end, but the referee thought otherwise and at the final whistle both teams would be happy with this result.

Dundee now go to Pittodrie in three weeks' time for the second leg and their fans will be hoping that history will repeat itself. The last time the two clubs were involved in a Scottish Cup tie at Pittodrie, after a 0-0 draw at Dens, Dundee emerged as 2-0 winners.

Dundee, with the wind in their favour, exerted pressure on Aberdeen right from the start. Shirra and Fleming set up a chance for Sinclair whose header actually beat Leighton in the Dons goal but hit off the post and was stopped on the line by the Dons keeper and a defender.

Billy Williamson was doing a marking job on Drew Jarvie, the Aberdeen player with the con- sistent habit of scoring against Dundee.

Thirteen minutes had elapsed before we saw Aberdeen's first real attack. Gordon Strachan began it with a run from his own half before passing to Bell, who hit a powerful 25-yarder for goal which Geddes did well to hold.

On the quarter of an hour mark, Rougvie came to Aber deen's rescue again when Mackie intercepted a pass back meant for Leighton before crossing into a crowded goal mouth.

Only Rougvie's tremendous height enabled him to head then ball over the bar for a corner.

The crowd were getting plenty to shout about as both sides went at it with a will.

In 33 minutes Mackie, working like a beaver for Dundee, broke clear on the left, but instead of shooting, elected to find Fleming with a pass when a shot for goal would have been more profitable.

At the other end Scanlon wasn't far away with a header from a Kennedy cross and as the interval approached it was Dundee who were on the receiving end.

There was little sign of any let-up in the pace on the resumption, but Aberdeen should have gone ahead in 54 minutes when a typical piece of Strachan magic on the by-line set up a chance for Jarvie

However, the usually deadly Don duffed his shot right in front of goal.

Strachan was beginning to exert his influence on the game and six minutes later another example of his great skill on the ball created a further chance for Jarvie who was a bit unlucky this time, when his first time shot from close in went narrowly past.

In 61 minutes, Aberdeen brought on Cowan for Bell and although Dundee were now out of it largely as an attacking force, the defence was coping well with the Aberdeen attacks.

In 66 minutes, Dundee brought on Murphy for Fleming as the game teetered in the balance.

It looked ominous for Dundee four minutes later when Aber deen were awarded a free kick inside the penalty box after Glennie had obstructed McGhee.

Strachan's shot hit the defensive wall and Scanlon wasn't far away with his lob from the rebound.

With 15 minutes to go Aberdeen brought on Considine for Jarvie and a minute later Dundee were a shade fortunate when Bobby Geddes only man aged to scramble away a Kennedy cross with three Aberdeen players waiting to pounce.

With eight minutes to go Dundee had a penalty claim turned down by referee McGinlay when Considine pulled Murphy down inside the box.

With a minute left, Dundee almost snatched the winner when Fraser shot narrowly past after good work from Shirra and Murphy.

Match report written by The Courier