Dundee Utd 6
Dumbarton 1
League (First Division)

Match Report

Sons have paid heavily for that shock victory over United in October as United banged in six for the second successive home game to take their tally to 17 in the last three games against the men from Boghead. Despite the 3-1 victory at Paisley, Billy Kirkwood made one change for the visit of already relegated Dumbarton, Gary McSwegan replacing Andy McLaren who joined Christian Dailly and Kelham O'Hanlon on the bench.

The game had a sensational start, but not in the manner United fans expected! The visitors with only one goal in their last seven outings found themselves ahead with a little under three minutes on the clock, Lee Sharp's 20 yarder beating Ally Maxwell after taking a deflection of Mark Perry. It took under two minutes for United to allay any tears amongst the large Tannadice support as they hit back quickly to equalise. Robbie Winters floated over A cross from the right and Gary McSwegan blasted a first time volley past McFarlane from 12 yards. The brisk scoring rate continued as United forged in front a mere three minutes later with the combination of Winters and Gary McSwegan again proving deadly as the United centre rose high to head in another pinpoint cross from the right.

The visitors had a brief spell of ascendancy before two goals in double-quick time totally sunk them. For the third time in the match, the Winters-McSwegan duo wreaked havoc. A great run by Robbie Winters down the right took him half the length of the park and left three defenders in his wake before delivering a perfectly flighted cross which Gary McSwegan dived to head home to complete his hat-trick. That state of affairs wasn't to last for long because just two minutes later Gary McSwegan chased a high Steven Pressley clearance and hoisted the ball over the onrushing keeper to see the ball bounce into the net, which was as well for the keeper who fouled him after he had got his shot in.

With the game over as a contest, United cruised in the second half, but added two further goals. The fifth came when Brian Welsh met a Craig Brewster corner and Mark Perry finished the move off, nodding home from close range. Near the end Craig Brewster headed an Andy McLaren cross low past the keeper to end the scoring and take United to the top of the table after Dunfermline's shock home defeat Hamilton.

"It was a good day for us, but to be fair, we got the goals at the right time." - Billy Kirkwood