St Johnstone 1
Dundee 1
Scottish Cup (3rd Round)

Match Report

Newspaper extract from Don John - The Courier.

These teams must fight it out again tonight at Dens Park in a replay of their third round Scottish Cup tie. Battle is perhaps the best word to describe last night's tie in the mud of Muirton Park. On a pitch like porridge, good football was difficult and hardly seen. And the difference in status between the two clubs was only noticeable in patches too.

The tie soon developed into a gruelling physical contest, with five players booked, bodies tumbling regularly, the referee's whistle seldom silent.

The game will not be remembered for its class or culture, but there was certainly plenty for the 5955 crowd to shout about.

A great goal by John Brown might have settled Dundee and discouraged St Johnstone, but the Perth side rose to the challenge and Billy Gavine equalised near the interval.

It was revealed after the game that 'keeper Roy Baines injured his hand in the first half and could have a broken bone. He went off for an x-ray last night.

Dundee kicked off on a very heavy pitch, and McGeachie had Baines in action right away, pushing out his dangerous cross. Soon after, Geddes had a much harder effort to deal with when he got down at the post to hold a fierce Morton shot.

At this stage the pace was hectic and the tackling hard. Stephen was next to have a go for the Premier side and Baines did well to hold his 20-yard shot.

An unexpected hold-up came in the 15th minute when the match ball was declared unfit by referee Waddell. He also refused the substitute ball and a three-minute delay followed while a third ball was found.

Neither team had really settled and, although Dundee clearly had the edge, Baines had not been in serious trouble so far.

Morton cracked a shot wildly over the bar and Scott spoiled a good run by shooting weakly at Geddes.

Near the half-hour mark, with Dundee driving forward, a low Harvey cross went across goal but had no takers. Then Stephen, running on to a tempting forward pass by Rafferty, slipped in the mud at the vital moment.

In 31 minutes the Dens Parkers went ahead with a tremendous shot by John Brown, reminiscent of his Tynecastle effort on Sunday. He fastened on to an excellent forward pass by McGeachie, jockeyed for position, and beat Baines with a 25-yarder into the roof of the net

The big Dundee contingent on the terraces went wild with delight. A few minutes later St Johnstone were denied when Gavine shot home, but the flag was up for offside before it had happened.

With the pressure eased Dundee were playing with more composure and threat, but still the Saints were

fighting hard and Geddes had to make a good clutch from a Morton corner kick. At the other end, Connor went through and Baines was happy to divert his shot for a corner.

In 45 minutes the tie was all square. After McKinlay had been booked for a foul on Morton, the same Saint took the free kick and Gavine rose to head low past Geddes into the corner of the net.

This was a rude awakening for Dundee, who had seemed in command, and a tremendous tonic for the first division side.

The first half, extended by four minutes, ended in a storm of controversy. McGurn pulled down Connor in the act of shooting and Dundee were incensed when their penalty claims were refused. McGurn became the second booking of the night for a foul on McKinlay.

McKinlay and Brown switched roles for Dundee at the start of the second half. Brown was obviously still feeling the effects of a first half injury.

An early scare for the visitors came when Reid burst through on his own down the left. Fortunately for Dundee Geddes was able to cut out the cross.

There was no sign yet of the part-timers flagging in the heavy conditions, as Morton shot strongly and Geddes saved at the second attempt in 54 minutes. The home side kept up a nagging pressure for a spell, and kept Dundee subdued in attack.

Meanwhile the fouling and the injuries piled up, with constant warnings by Mr Waddell, and little continuity in the game.

When Dundee did get going a Harvey header from Rafferty's corner hit Baines on the line. In 62 minutes Lyons was booked for persistent fouling, a fate others might well have suffered. Gavine followed him into the ref's book a minute later for felling Rafferty. Dundee brought on Richardson for Glennie just afterwards.

Saints still kept going, and Geddes had to fist a shot- cum-cross from Morton for a corner.

But the nearest escapes were at the other end. Barron was short with a pass back, and Harvey just failed to push the ball past Baines. A minute later the keeper pulled off a good save from a low header from the same player.

Harvey went off 15 minutes from time to be replaced by Kidd, and it looked now as if the stamina of the visitors would tell. Stephen hit a shot just too high, and the gallant Baines dived to cut out a Kidd cross.

The fifth booking of the match was scorer Brown, who stopped Morton illegally as the tiring home side tried hard to get on attack. But, at the end of the 90 minutes it was still level pegging, with everything to play for at Dens Park tonight.