Clydebank 1
Dundee Utd 2
League (First Division)

Match Report

Deep into injury time Billy McKinlay was flattened in the box and got up to slot home our first penalty award of the season which earned us our fourth consecutive victory. It was no more than we deserved, but given the chances that were missed earlier we shouldn't really have had to rely on such a last gasp decision for three precious points.

For most of the first half, United's play was stamped with an authority which had been previously lacking this season. It came as no surprise, therefore that we went ahead after 26 minutes. Andy McLaren, as he did repeatedly in the first half went past his marker on the left to cut the ball back. It took a deflection off a Bankies defender and Jim Bett strode in to plant a shot high into the top corner from just inside the box.

It really ought to have been two eleven minutes from the interval when Robbie Winters miss hit shot fell obligingly for Paddy Connolly, but Matthews blocked his shot. We paid for that miss when Bankies drew level with what was only their first serious assault on goal. Grady drilled in a dangerous cross which Christian Dailly headed away from directly under his own crossbar. From the resultant corner James Grady head-flicked home from six yards.

Up to that point United had looked well in command and quickly regained the initiative in the second half with Robbie Winters curling a shot just wide three minutes after the resumption. Unlike the first half, the Bankies looked more dangerous in their rare forays up field and Sutherland went close with a header from Robertson's free-kick in the 52nd minute. Paddy Connolly then dragged a shot from a Robbie Winters pass wide of the target and the striker almost regained the lead when he took a pass from Christian Dailly, but Matthews, as he had done in the first half, blocked his shot.

Hopes of victory were fading fast as the game stretched into a 97th minute as Maurice Malpas floated the ball to the edge of the box where Billy McKinlay was bundled over by Connell. The referee immediately pointed to the spot and Billy McKinlay hit the ball low to the keeper's right from the penalty to register our first away win of the season.

"You need a bit of luck with these things and though the winner came late, I believe we deserved it over the piece" - BILLY KIRKWOOD, MANAGER