Dundee 1
Aberdeen 3
League (Premier Division)

Match Report

Dens Park has long been Aberdeen's favourite hunting ground. In fact they've never lost to the Dark Blues there since Alec Ferguson became manager.

Although they were technically streets ahead of Dundee, they required every inch of their Dens good fortune to subdue the battling home side.

In fact, the outcome of this derby revolved around two of the most controversial refereeing decisions I've witnessed all season. And on both counts Dundee have every right to feel the world is against them just now.

They were a goal up and just beginning to get on top when Tommy Muirhead baffled everyone at Dens by awarding the visitors a penalty. It was so unexpected not one Aberdeen player even appealed.

Bell and Strachan indulged in a neat piece of ball-juggling inside the home box. It looked like they had overdone things and lost possession when, to everyone's amazement, the referee indicated Bobby Glennie had handled the ball. He was the only one in the ground who thinks so.

Gordon Strachan showed his former team no favours and scored easily from the spot.

The second half had just started when decision No. 2 went against the home side. Bell appeared to handle when back defending, but the referee didn't want to know despite Dundee's frantic appeals.

The home side just gave in after this, although to Aberdeen's credit they played some marvellous football in blustery conditions.

They had previously knocked much of the stuffing out of Dundee by going ahead seconds before the break against the run of play. Bell made a long surging run up the left and from his cross Peter Weir easily slipped the ball under Geddes.

As Dons went to town with wind and slope advantage in the second half, only some careless finishing prevented further goals, until Bell grabbed the reward he richly deserved.

Mark McGhee crossed from the right, Bell was left unmarked at the far post and scored easily.

All credit to Aberdeen. With so many regulars absent this was always going to be a difficult game. Then there is the spectre-hanging over them about their manager's future.

But they proved what a professional outfit they were. Although Strachan and McGhee looked far from fit, everyone got their head down and battled away.

Their organisation was superb. They know each other's play backwards. McLeish, Miller, Bell and Weir were outstanding.

Dundee must be of the opinion they will never beat Aberdeen at Dens.

They couldn't have got off to a better start here. Bobby Glennie scored a fantastic goal with an unsaveable shot from 40 yards. It followed a Fraser corner flicked on by Mackie. A clearance went only as far as Glennie who measured his long-distance shot to perfection.

Match report written by The Sunday Post