Dundee 2
St Johnstone 1
Scottish Cup (3rd Round Replay)

Match Report

Newspaper extract from The Courier.

Every club has its hiccup during a cup bid. Dundee must hope their troubles have come and gone early in this year's competition.

They finally squeezed through to the fourth round, and a glamour tie at Ibrox Park, by beating a gallant St Johnstone at the second attempt at Dens Park last night.

This time Dundee had to come from behind after conceding a Bobby Glennie own goal in the first half.

A quick penalty equaliser by Bobby Connor (after four previous misses this season by Dundee players) and a close-in winner by Derek McWilliams ousted the Muirton part-timers, who fought to the end.

This game was much slower to warm up than on the previous night, and again had as much crunch as culture. There were another six bookings to add to the five at Muirton. Saints finished with eight names in the book over the two ties.

After the first half-hour there was still enough action and argument last night to keep the 5444 fans on the boil. Strangely, there was a slightly bigger crowd at Muirton the previous night.

Dundee left out four who played the previous night. McKinlay Smith, Rafferty and Harvey gave way to Forsyth, McWilliams, Richardson and Kidd.

St Johnstone's only change was in goal-Drummond for the injured Baines.

On a pitch in vastly better condition than Muirton, both teams set out with the same determined approach that characterised their first meeting.

Drummond was quickly in action to hold a Kidd cross, and Geddes well positioned to save a 25-yarder from McVicar.

Once again free kicks were frequent, and errors, too, as both teams found it hard to settle.

The first 15 minutes brought no serious trouble to either keeper. The only damage was to a stand window which got in the way of a Glennie clearance.

Referee Waddell was kept busy issuing warnings and, in a game of little accuracy so far, St Johnstone did work a neat move in 18 minutes. But when Scott took a final pass from Morton he shot past wildly.

The same Saint pair combined again a minute later. This time Geddes held the winger's angled shot confidently.

At last Dundee roused themselves. Forsyth hit a great shot. Drummond saved well but couldn't hold the ball, and Connor blasted the rebound wide over,

Much more life in the game now, with more penalty box action. A Drummond punch-out landed at McGeachie's feet only for the Dundee player to slip at the vital moment.

The deadlock was broken in remarkable fashion in 32 minutes, when St Johnstone scored. Reid and Morton looked well off-side as they sprinted after a clearance.

There was no flag, no whistle, and when Morton crossed low in an effort to reach his teammate, Glennie intercepted to shoot cleanly past his own keeper as he attempted a clearance.

While Dundee fans fumed, Saints supporters celebrated. Now the home side had a lot to do but so far they had shown very little penetration in attack.

Kidd received a "present" of a pass from Lyons, ran on, then put his shot well wide.

In 40 minutes, persistent work by Forsyth on the right ended with a cross which Stephen headed just inches too high-Dundee's nearest yet.

Two minutes later the home side made their first substitution- Rafferty for Brown, who was obviously not feeling 100%.

Another minute gone, and Kidd missed a sitter, skying the ball from only ten yards out when a goal looked certain. McWilliams followed with a long ranger not far off target.

Within a minute of the restart Dundee were awarded a penalty when Kidd, running on to a Forsyth pass, went down in a mass of legs Connor equalised from the spot after Lyall had been booked for his protests over the decision.

Dundee, who had brought on McCall for McGeachie, also had a player booked quickly. Glennie was penalised for carrying away the ball following a free kick. Almost immediately Saints' Scott was booked for dissent.

So, in the first four minutes of this half we had a penalty goal and three bookings. Tension was high now, and it was no game for the faint-hearted as the teams got stuck in to their task.

With 57 minutes gone Gavine was the game's fourth booking for bringing down Kidd-Billy had been booked the previous night as well.

Reid had a good run down the right for the visitors, but his cross was wasted. Stephen went close at the other end with a shot just past the post.

Reid went one better for Saints, hitting the junction of the bar and post after a sliced Rafferty pass gave him the chance.

It was a wide open situation now. The visitors looked like flagging, but still were getting in plenty of shots, too many of them off target.

Dundee finally grabbed the winner in 60 minute Richardson floated in a corner kick from the left, the Muirton defence was.caught like statines, and McWilliams poked in the ball from close in for a simple but so vital goal.

Saints brought on Sludden for Gavine and still fought for every ball. Lyons hit a free kick straight into the arms of Geddes.

McVicar's protests over a free kick decision earned him a booking in 75 minutes-he, too, had his name taken at Muirton. Lyons followed him into the book within a minute, bringing the Saints total for the night to five. A well-hit shot by Stephen brought out a fine save by Drummond.

Kidd also went close, from a Connor pass. Tiring Saints replaced McVicar with their second sub, Kilgour, with 10 minutes left.

Dundee, who must also have been feeling the pace after three games in four days, played out time confidently.