Dunfermline 1
Dundee Utd 1
League (Premier Division)

Match Report

Never a classic, United appeared on their way to collecting maximum points from the meeting of the two promoted clubs until Tod popped up with a header thirteen minutes from the end. "The ball must have had a sair heid" was manager Tommy McLean's assessment of a first half which, being kind, contained precious few moments to savour.

The first shot in anger from either side came in the 16th minute when Hamish French hooked a Petrie cross over and the former United player went closest to relieving the boredom of the first half when he hit the side-netting after Ally Maxwell spilled a viciously spinning deflected shot from Petrie. A Jim McInally shot which was straight at Lemajic was United's one noteworthy effort of a poor opening period.

Pressing forward with more conviction in the second half, Robbie Winters fired just over soon after the break. For the first time, United had gained the upper hand in the match and this bore fruit shortly after Andy McLaren replaced Jamie McQuilken.

Robbie Winters played the ball out wide left to the substitute who skipped past Den Bieman before crossing for Robbie Winters to head high into the net from just inside the six yard box.

The goal brought this previously colourless clash to life.
Ally Maxwell had to beat away a shot from Fleming and almost immediately, only Miller's intervention at the other end prevented David Hannah getting his head to an Andy McLaren cross at the other end. From the resultant corner, Steven Pressley's header whistled inches past. But it was a header at the other end which pegged back United's lead, Andy Tod heading in Petrie's corner from the left. After a brief spell of home pressure, United finished the game looking the likelier side to score. Hamish French, the home side sponsor's Man of the match, foiled David Hannah at the far post and then Sandy Robertson worked into the box, Lemajic blocked his path to goal and skipper Dave Bowman's chip from the rebound went frustratingly over four minutes from time.

That meant, we had to be satisfied with our first away point of the season, but Killie's win over Raith Rovers saw them jump above us to cast into second bottom place.