Aberdeen 3
Dundee 2
League (Premier Division)

Match Report

Newspaper extract from The Sporting Post.

Stuart Rafferty, John McCormack and Bobby Connor make their Premier League debut for Dundee at Aberdeen. £40,000 signing Tommy McQueen gets a place in a strange-looking Dons line-up.

Aberdeen are applauded on to the park by the Dundee players before the Premier Flag is unfurled by Scottish Sports Minister Allan Stewart.

The Dens Parkers start well and a McKinlay cross finds McCall on the edge of the box, but before he shoots Miller gets in a tackle..

Kidd is presented with a chance by Harris but is slow to take advantage. A Hewitt cross after good work by Bell is headed away by McKinlay.

Harris gets his head to a McGeachie free kick but is wide.

The Dundee defence is opened up in nine minutes by a fine through ball by Black. Bell attempts to chip the advancing Geddes but the ball goes over.

A dangerous cross from Stark only just eludes Black at the back post. In 12 minutes the champions open their account.

A Hewitt corner is strangely left by both the Dundee defence and keeper, allowing STARK to steal in at the back post for a free header.

In 15 minutes Kidd is booked for a trip on Simpson.

Just a minute later Dundee are almost caught out again by a Hewitt corner. Geddes remains on his line as the ball flies across. This time Rafferty knocks the ball away.

Rafferty finds himself in possession at the edge of the box after a period of sustained Dundee pressure, but his powerful shot is held by Leighton.

The former Motherwell player is Dundee's most inventive attacker and once again gets in a drive, which this time goes just wide.

The whole complexion of the game changes in 29 minutes. STEPHEN tries a snap shot from the edge of the box and.the ball flies past Leighton and in off the post.

A minute later Dundee go in front.

A free-kick on the edge of the box is touched sideways by Stephen into the path of RAFFERTY, who smashes the ball home before Leighton can move.

The stunned champions come back and once again Dundee are caught out by a Hewitt corner. This time Falconer heads over.

Geddes attempts to fist a McQueen free. The ball falls to Simpson whose attempt at chipping the keeper goes over.

Rafferty fires a cross along the ground and despite an awkward bounce Leighton clutches.

The cross ball once again almost provides Dundee's downfall with Hewitt only inches away from a Falconer.centre.

Half-time-Aberdeen 1, Dundee 2.

Reflections What a comeback by Dundee after looking, in real trouble early on.

Dundee restart with Smith at right back, McGeachie in midfield and Stephen off the park.

Within six minutes of the restart Aberdeen switch Porteous for Stark.

In 56 minutes the Dons pull level.

Hewitt puts Falconer away on the left. The big striker's cross is left by Geddes and BLACK has the simple task of heading home.

The Dundee keeper is again in action when Falconer rises to meet a Mitchell cross but this time he holds.

Geddes comes to Dundee's rescue in 63 minutes with a great parry from a Simpson drive.

He does well to hold a powerful right footer from Hewitt.

McWilliams makes his league debut for Dundee in 71 minutes replacing Kidd.

Scrambling A Porteous free is glanced on by Black with Geddes scrambling across his goal to clutch the ball at the second attempt.

In 76 minutes a Simpson cross is knocked on by Falcon- er and under pressure McKinlay heads over with Black in close attendance.

Geddes does well to turn over a Hewitt drive, but in 82 minutes Aberdeen take the lead. BLACK head glances home a Hewitt cross from the right.

Final-Aberdeen 3, Dundee 2

Summing up-Hard luck on Dundee who at one point looked like registering their first Premier League win over the Dons..