Dundee Utd 0
Aberdeen 4
Scottish Cup (Semi Final)

Match Report

For our tenth semi-final, our fourth against Aberdeen, the United side was along more usual lines with Dave Narey returning after illness, whilst John Clark and Mixu Paatelainen, last week's substitutes, both started the tie. Alex Cleland and Peter Hinds dropped out and Brian Welsh moved to the subs bench. We got off to an excellent start with Freddy Van Der Hoorn making good progress down the left before cutting in and firing in a low shot which his fellow countryman, Theo Snelders, saved low down at the far post. Aberdeen's first serious threat on goal brought the Pittodrie Men an eleventh minute lead. A loose ball outside the box was headed on by Gillhaus to Nicholas out on the right wing. He drilled in a low cross which Grant met, but Alan Main brilliantly kept out his effort. However, there was nothing the United 'keeper could do to prevent Brian Irvine hammering in the rebound. We replied through Dave Narey who struck a 30 yarder which carried too much elevation to trouble Snelders. In the 36th minute we fell further behind. A corner by Connor was headed away by Miodrag Krivokapic, but only to Bett out on the left. The international midfielder quickly returned the ball into the middle and initially it appeared that Irvine had headed in Dons' second goal. Later it transpired that it was, in fact, Mixu Paatelainen who had got the final touch under pressure from Irvine.

Any hopes of salvaging the tie surely evaporated when yet another own goal rocked us. Full-back, Dave Robertson who made a surprise appearance for the Dons after a long spell of injury, crossed from the left and Freddy Van Der Hoorn's out-stretched leg directed the ball over Alan Main's head. Even with half an hour remaining it was clear that Aberdeen were well in control and with five minutes remaining Hans Gillhaus cut in from the left to fire a low shot into the far corner of the net. Aberdeen thus extracted full revenge for us having eliminated them from the Cup in the past two seasons.