Motherwell 2
Dundee 0
League (Premier Division)

Match Report

Newspaper extract from The Courier - Steve Bruce.

Dundee slumped to their third successive defeat at a bitterly cold Fir Park last night.

Not even the return of midfield maestro John Brown could revive their fortunes but it was difficult to feel sorry for the Dark Blues.

They conceded two bad first half goals and were unable to find a way back.

Motherwell fully deserved the points from a match which took time to come to life but which contained plenty in the way of entertainment and had it not been for some fine saves from keeper Bobby Geddes their winning margin might have been greater.

It took a full 19 minutes for these sides to conjure up a goalmouth incident.

It came at the Motherwell end with Coyne setting up Harvey who, after making space for himself, shot weakly at Gardiner who held easily.

Prior to that, the only moment of excitement had come when Geddes was forced to fist away a dangerous-looking Smith cross.

Thankfully, things began to brighten up. Harvey tried to head-glance home a low Coyne cross without success and moments later, dribbled his way to the by-line only to waste the opportunity he created with a poor cut-back.

Bobby Geddes came to Dundee's rescue in 35 minutes, thwarting, at the expense of a corner, Gary Fraser when the home player was clean through on goal.

Two minutes later he again earned his wages, producing a fine save to deny Walker.

However, six minutes from the interval, Motherwell went in front when Andy Walker finally forced the ball home after an incredible goal-line scramble in which Duffy twice blocked.

Dundee might have had a penalty shortly afterwards when Paterson appeared to foul Harvey inside the area but referee Alistair Huett awarded a free kick some 12 inches outside the 18-yard line.

Seconds short of the half time whistle, Dundee appeared to have had a let-off when Fraser's header from a Wright cross came back off the crossbar but Forsyth dithered on the ball and was dispossessed by former Dundee United striker John Reilly who beat the advancing Geddes from a narrow angle.

The Dens Parkers restarted in purposeful fashion but the ball refused to run for them.

A clever Angus pass just failed to find Coyne and Harvey was unable to capitalise on good work by Glennie.

Twice in a matter of minutes Stuart Rafferty, back on his old stomping ground, threatened to haul Dundee back into the game.

In 65 minutes, following fine leading-up work by Angus, he forced Gardiner to concede a corner with an angled drive.

Then, from 30 yards, the former Motherwell man tested the keeper but Gardiner was again equal to the task.

Not that the home side were slipping out of things for it took further excellence from Geddes to prevent a third goal.

The Highland-born keeper did well to fingertip a Walker cross away from the head of Reilly and when Wright put Walker through he advanced from his line to block.

With seven minutes remaining, substitute Colin Hendry, who had earlier replaced Graham Harvey, almost pulled a goal back but his header from a Brown cross was brilliantly turned away by Gardiner.

There were two bookings, Paul Smith for a foul on Duffy and the Dundee captain himself for dissent.