Dundee 2
Dundee Utd 3
League (First Division)

Match Report

The first derby match of the season attracted the biggest gate in the First Division this season. Grant Johnson came in for the injured Paddy Connolly and that was the only change in the United line-up which lost to Airdrie the previous Saturday.

Although Paul Tosh sent a shot crashing a couple of feet over after 15 seconds - it was United who made the more assured start and grabbed the lead after 8 minutes. Andy McLaren ran all the length of the park and stumbled in the box following a challenge by former United defender Duffy. The referee immediately pointed to the spot and Billy McKinlay sent Michel Pageaud the wrong way from the spot.

Dundee launched into attack alter that reversal and went close to equalising twice in as many minutes. Ally Maxwell blocked a Neil Duffy header and Shaw failed to capitalise as the ball ran loose. Two minutes later Jim Bett headed a Tosh header as United weathered that storm and might have grabbed a second after Rab Shannon played a long ball out of defence which found Andy McLaren in the clear, but Pageaud blocked his shot after he had run in on goal.

The Dundee keeper then clawed away a Robbie Winters shot in the 31st minute, but when a goal did eventually come it was at the other end. Tosh hammered in a ball which appeared to strike Maurice Malpas rather than the player handled it, but the penalty was given and Jim Hamilton levelled matters from the spot.

The rather tranquil opening to the second period belied the excitement that was to follow. In 63 minutes, out-of-the-blue, Billy McKinlay sent a dipping volley from 25 yards past Michel Pageaud to make it 2-1 and ten minutes later, United's international mid-fielder knocked in his third and his hat-trick after Andy McLaren laid the ball in his path.

But, within two minutes Dundee had reduced the arrears when Jim Hamilton steered the ball in at the far post to score his second after Shaw flicked on a Wieghorst cross. The drama continued and five minutes from time Neil Duffy knocked the ball past an unguarded net after Maxwell parried a shot and that miss ensured United's victory in a derby which burst into life in the last half hour.

CLUB COMMENT - "I'm delighted with the result and it was a really exciting game for the neutrals - but once again we gave away a couple of stupid goals." - BILLY KIRKWOOD, MANAGER.