Dundee 2
St Mirren 2
League (Premier Division)

Match Report

Dundee and St Mirren had their ups and downs at Dens Park on Saturday, before levelling off at two goals each. It was a result that seemed fair enough to most folk.

Of course both managers, Alex. Miller and Donald Mackay, could point to spells in the game when their teams might have sewn up both points.

St Mirren were at their best in the first half-more aggressive, far more accurate, and with men of class and menace, like Ian Scanlon. He meandered from wing to wing, creating all sorts of problems for both full backs in turn.

Dundee, in contrast, showed little of the drive and determination that characterised their performance against Aberdeen a few days earlier.

The home team went behind to their now usual penalty award-the total is five in the last six League fixtures! Bobby Glennie, on the goal-line at the post, had to handle a fierce, angled shot from Frank McDougall, who had rounded the keeper.

Scanlon sank the penalty, St Mirren hit the woodwork twice in their domination and the outlook looked dicy for the home club.

It was an unexpected boost when the equaliser came just on the interval, Walker McCall taking a pass from Tosh McKinlay to hit a fine shot past Billy Thomson.

Four minutes into the second half and it was 2-1 from a now rejuvenated Dundee. Ray Stephen headed in a Peter Mackie cross in great style and Saints threatened to be swamped.

Only a super Thomson save from a McCall header prevented the clinching goal, and soon after Dundee also had a reasonable penalty claim refused.

But the game took another twist, with the Dens side sagging a bit and the visitors coming back at them, a defensive mix-up allowed Frank McAvennie to shoot the equaliser.

A bit hard on Dundee for their showing during most of the second half, but let's not forget the first period belonged to Saints.

There's no doubt, though, that keeper Thomson was a much busier man than Bobby Geddes. He was St Mirren's rock in that second half spell when the home side were at their best.

It was a good game, between two teams committed to going forward, but in the end, as Donald Mackay pointed out, "This was a better point for St Mirren than us."

The days when Dundee accepted any points, with no questions asked, are gone. They have to win such home fixtures, if they are to climb to the higher reaches of the table.

Probably they missed the injured Ian Ferguson, Maybe they suffered a reaction from Wednesday's League Cup efforts. But they were slow to get going on Saturday, and too erratic when they did.

St Mirren, unbeaten now in seven league games, pleased their boss Alex. Miller with this result, though he wasn't happy at the way they lost the two goals.

But he had praise for scorer Walker McCall, a player he has always rated highly. Indeed, Alex. reminded us that, as man- ager of Hong Kong club South China, he had signed the Dundee striker.

When both came home, Alex. first tried to get McCall for Morton then St Mirren, when he took over there.

"I was just a couple of hours too late in making a move for him before he decided to sign a longer contract with Dundee," he revealed.

Well, it has turned out well for the Dens club. The big fellow has now scored 11 goals for them.

Match report written by The Courier