Dundee 0
Dundee United 2
League (Premier Division)

Match Report

Newspaper extract from The Courier .

Nine days ago, Dundee were on the crest of a wave. Only a medium-sized wave maybe, but one which promised much after six points from their opening four games and a quarter final place in the Skol Cup.

This morning they are in a deep trough after a week which saw them lose to Aberdeen in the league, lose to Rangers in their Skol Cup quarter final and, cruellest blow of all, lose 2-0 to local rivals Dundee United at home in the league..

I applaud the honesty of manager Jocky Scott, who said at the end of Saturday's game, "We got a lesson, it's as simple as that.

"With hindsight, we fielded too many players carrying injuries-McGeachie, Brown, Forsyth and Stephen, for instance-but that was because we are short of players, haven't enough depth in our player pool.

"It's been a disappointing week... and it was a week I was really looking forward to."

The blunt truth is that, while Dundee might continue to survive in the Premier League, even achieve the odd good result with their strongest line-up from the present pool, they are never going to challenge the top teams as things stand.

And I am obviously not alone in that opinion. For instance, when United's second goal went in, the Dark Blues portion of the ground cleared like snow off a dyke.

At the end, a group of supporters tried to see the directors to complain about the club's situation.

It is easy to understand why.

While their greatest rivals, United, lose players of the calibre of Richard Gough, the scoring ability of Davie Dodds and a coach of the quality of Walter Smith; while injury robs them on the day of the outstanding Paul Sturrock and super scorer lain Ferguson, who failed a Saturday morning fitness test, they recover so well that they win this game easily and stay top of the Premier League, having dropped only one point in six games.

At the same time, Dundee did not too badly in bursts, but never seem able to mount a real challenge to the teams that dominate Scottish football.

And the situation isn't new. It has been going on for years. The balance of football power in the city that used to tilt so firmly Dens way, long ago switched a couple of hundred yards down the road to Tannadice

There are people well into their adult life who can't remember it any other way.

It is much more than the result of one game I am considering. It is the over-all picture-a picture which is increasingly angering and depressing Dundee supporters.

There is little doubt financial constraints have affected Dundee for years.

But, to supporters, statements like that are looked on merely as an excuse, especially when the details are never laid out for them to study.

What they "home in" on are facts. Facts like this past few months alone a manager has departed the scene (Archie Knox to Aberdeen), Robert Connor has been sold, John Brown and Ray Stephen nearly were and maybe the bottom line to it all former favourite Ferguson, whom they had on loan from Rangers, is now operating "down the road" at Tannadice and scoring goals.

They can't understand the whys and wherefores of this sort of situation, can't understand either why, every time their club seems to be settling down to build a future, someone leaves

You cannot buy success-Manchester United prove that.

But you can invest in players to improve your situation-and that is obviously what manager Scott has in mind.

If he doesn't get the money there is little hope of improvement. If he does, then it is up to him to create a brighter scene at Dens.

No one knows if he can achieve this, but he is entitled to the chance.

Meantime...to Saturday's game.

"We didn't play as well as we did on Wednesday (when they beat Hibs) but all you can do in Local derbies is win." said United manager Jim McLean afterwards.

In fact, it was only for a very brief period towards half-time that Dundee were in the game with a chance.

In that spell, a Brown back-header, a Jack shot and a dipping Brown left foot shot went close.

Just after half-time Ralph Milne got the goal that underlined United's over-all superiority.

He was running full tilt past Colin Hendry when the centre-back tripped him in the box. Inexperience rather than intent, maybe, but it was a foul and therefore a penalty-which Milne himself lashed home in the 48th minute.

It wasn't until 10 minutes from the end that United again cashed in.

This time, Tommy Coyne squared the ball across the box and Eamonn Bannon rapped home a great shot from over 20 yards.

Manager McLean praised particularly Coyne and Milne after the game. "They have been in the shadows recently. It should give them a lot of confidence.