St Mirren 3
Dundee Utd 2
League (Premier Division)

Match Report

United turned up at Love Street with St Mirren looking for their first league win of the season. Sturrock and Addison started on the bench for United. McDougall and Weir came in for St Mirren, with Dempster on the bench and Torrance left out.

St Mirren made the brighter start and in the 4th minute, Bone slipped the ball to Docherty who teed it up before lashing in a shot from 30 yards. McAlpine matched it by diving to his right to pluck the ball from the air. Iain Ballantyne had a chance to make a dream start just a couple of minutes later. After build up work by Milne and Payne, Ballantyne took the ball and fired his effort well wide. In the 13th minute St Mirren broke away from a United attack. The build up was from Richardson who picked up a through ball before crossing in front of the United goal. Doug Somner fired in from the edge of the box after an almighty goalmouth scramble in which three shots were blocked. In 25 minutes, Walter Smith decided to have an effort from long range but it whistled just wide. with just 4 minutes until half-time, United went further behind. McAlpine blocked a Stark shot after a Docherty cross and Frank McDougall found himself clear in front of goal to net the rebound.

United defender Walter Smith was substituted at half-time and taken straight to hospital for an X-ray on his shoulder which turned out to be badly bruised. Five minutes after the restart, Pettigrew shook off the attentions of Copland in the Saints goalmouth to turn and shoot from close range. His shot hit the side netting and left United frustrated again. However, in 62 minutes Willie Pettigrew's pulled one back after a great move concluding with Sturrock bursting into the box and cutting the ball back for the striker. The deficit was restored when Munro floated in a free-kick from the left and Doug Somner headed home after rising above the United defence. With 7 minutes left, United pulled another one back. Willie Pettigrew's headed in his second goal again from a Sturrock cross. As the seconds ticked away McAlpine pulled off a great save from a Bone shot. The result gave Saints their first league win of the season against a United side which never really settled into their normal rhythm. Willie Pettigrew's double, however, augured well for the future.