Dundee 0
Dundee United 2
League (Premier Division)

Match Report

It was almost like old times at Dens. An enormous crowd delayed the kick-off by 10 minutes but, sad to report, that's as close as the Dark Blues came to emulating the good old days.

Next-door neighbours United called the tune with their original party piece. They were different class.

The score flattered the hosts. In fact, if United hadn't been in such benevolent mood, the result would have been embarrassing.

United produced their entire repertoire. Man for man, they could all teach Dundee a thing or two until it came to finishing, that is.

Then it's difficult to make comparisons. Although United squandered numerous opportunities, Dundee didn't create any to miss.

United's midfield dominated from belated start to finish. With that midfield consisting of leading scorer Davie Dodds, defender Derek Stark and Eamonn Bannon, without being disrespectful, it doesn't say much for Dundee's trio of Mackie, Bell and McGeachie.

Certainly, McGeachie looked far short of match practice, but with Bannon at his brilliant best, United were always going to win. Especially when they had someone of the class of David Narey to add to their centre park superiority.

So why only 2-0 at the end of the afternoon? Well, Dundee had stalwart defenders in Jim Smith and Iain MacDonald, who stood up well to most things United could throw at them. But even more significant must be the careless finishing of Sturrock and Reilly.

Both passed up several Hikely openings. Dodds did strike woodwork with a header, but he also shot tamely at Kelly with no one near.

Bannon also missed a glorious chance before the best move of the game produced the first goal of '83 at Dens.

Malpas dispatched a pass up the left touchline to Bannon. Eamonn's near post cross was made to measure and Ralph Milne twisted majestically to glance a superb header well away from the unprotected Kelly.

Dundee fought long and hard and it required an athletic McAlpine clutch to deny Ferguson at the far post with eight minutes remaining. But a goal then would have been a travesty.

As if to take notice of the dangers of being only one goal ahead after so much superiority, United raced to the other end to make sure.

Gough surged forward and drove the ball low and hard across goal. Milne shot, and the ball was deflected in off MacDonald. If it had not been, Dodds was lurking to do the needful anyway.

It was always an exciting tussle, but too one-sided to be a classic.

There were three bookings. Dundee skipper Glennie was noted for hacking down Sturrock in full flight was well justified In fact, Bobby was eventually substituted for his own good

The other two yellow carded can consider themselves very unfortunate. Ferguson tripped Hegarty early on and Malpas did no more than collide with Murphy

United's best were Stark, Gough, Hegarty, Narey and Bannon For Dundee only Smith and MacDonald approached any of the United's XI.

Match report written by The Sunday Post