Dundee 3
Meadowbank Thistle 0
Scottish Cup (4th Round)

Match Report

Meadowbank were a Second Division club and not surprisingly Dundee were firm favourites to make the fifth round.

However, they didn't exactly have their troubles to seek. After four defeats in a row they were bottom of the Premier League.

A week earlier Cammy Fraser had asked for a transfer after being dropped for a game against Celtic. While a couple of weeks previously the club's financial plight had been highlighted with the announcement of the proposed share issue in order to raise cash.

The game was played on a Sunday to avoid a clash with the all-Premier tie between United and Hibs at Tannadice the previous day.

This brought an added incentive for both teams.

The draw had been made on the Saturday evening and meant the winners of the Dundee-Meadowbank match had a lucrative quarter-final tie against Rangers at Ibrox to look forward to.

The first-half was fairly undistinguished. Some fans felt Dundee had reached a new low when a few pass backs were directed to Bobby Geddes, in a game they expected to see the home side score a barrowload. This 'spectacle' was greeted with a chorus of boos. Dundee finally took the lead in thirty eight minutes. Cameron sent a ball up the left, which was missed by Meadowbank's Brown. Ferguson took advantage of this, and ran into a central position before un leashing an eighteen-yard shot which went in-off the post. Four minutes later a tremendous Ferguson cross produced McGeachie shot which just went past. a

Donald Mackay's interval talk-in seemed to send his team out in a more determined mood. Right from the re-start they showed more effort and played in a higher 'gear'.

They had only twelve minutes to wait for another goal. A Murphy corner was headed on by Ian Fleming to Jim Smith, who had little trouble in scoring his first goal in only his second first team outing.

Dundee seemed to settle after this and McKimmie shot from twenty-five yards, striking the bar, Ferguson stuck the re bound past the post.

With three minutes remaining Mackie (on for Kidd) completed the scoring. Cameron had squared the ball to him, inside the box, and he slipped the ball beyond the keeper as he came out.

So the 'St. Valentine's Day massacre' expected by the Dundee fans never materialised. However it was a comfortable enough win, with Geddes never really troubled. When Meadowbank did move forward he was well protected by central defenders Smith and Glennie.

Match report written by David Quinn (Matchday Programme)