Dundee 0
Aberdeen 2
Scottish Cup (Semi Final)

Match Report

Dundee learned, not for the first time this season, that when you are most in need of a slice of luck in this game you are least likely to get it. It happened to them again at Tynecastle on Saturday when they lost 2-0 to Aberdeen.

This deprived them of a place in the Scottish Cup final against Celtic and the chance of the financial lift they so badly need.

As it is, Aberdeen are now in with a great chance of an unforgettable treble. They meet Celtic in the Scottish Cup final at Hampden on May 19, can clinch the Premier League title and could retain their European Cup Winners' Cup in Basle.

Nothing, it seems, can go wrong for the Dons these days. Even without such star players as Peter Weir, Mark McGhee, Stewart McKimmie and Neale Cooper and with six aged 21 or under in the ranks, they triumphed over a Dundee side whose resources were also badly limited.

Take it from me, though, there was never a two-goal difference between the two sides at Tynecastle. I agreed with Archie Knox when he said at the end he thought Dundee were worth a replay.

Aberdeen chairman Dick Donald freely admitted after the game that he felt Dundee were the better team in the first half against the strong wind and on a bumpy playing surface that gave neither team the chance to play any fluent football.

Yet Aberdeen were a goal in front at the interval, scored by young Ian Porteous.

This despite the fact Dundee had to tolerate the frustration of having the ball in the Aberdeen net on three different occasions (once through Colin Harris and twice Iain MacDonald) only to learn referee Brian McGinlay thought all three "scores" illegal.

Frankly I could not see anything wrong with two of them-but it is what the referee thinks that counts even although the Dundee fans who travelled through to the match disagree to a man with his verdicts.

In the end Aberdeen won a game more noted for endeavour than skill.

The two-goal margin, extended to that degree by a Gordon Strachan counter in injury time, flattered Alex Ferguson's men, for whom Willie Miller was again the outstanding player.

But a measure of the conditions the players had to suffer and attempt play in can best be gauged by the performance of Strachan.

No one can deny that on his game he is a world class player.

At Tynecastle he only appeared in the game in spasms for the simple reason that trying to keep the ball on the ground on a lively pitch in a strong, swirling wind was impossibility.

Six players were booked in the match-Lex Richardson, Tosh McKinlay, Cammy Fraser and Peter Mackie of Dundee, and Eric Black and Neil Simpson of Aberdeen, and the bookings outnumbered the shots at goal!

They also reduced both clubs £3500 sponsorship money by £350 for each booking leaving Dundee £1400 short at the end of a disappointing game.

Now, as Aberdeen go on in search of further glory (they play Dundee United on Wednesday night at Pittodrie) Dundee have Motherwell at home in a vital relegation match which they must win.

The Dundee board have decided in a bid to bring about the desired result to reduce their prices for this.

They are charging only £1 for the terracings and £2 for the stand, and allowing O.A.P.s and juveniles to get into the stand for a £1 in the hope that this will attract the fans to come out and cheer for a home win.

There was a good Dundee support at Tynecastle on Satur day and most of them left feeling the fortunes had not been too kind to their team..

Hopefully they will be back on Wednesday night when a repeat of the spirit shown by their team will provide them with a better result

Match report written by The Courier