Dundee Utd 1
Celtic 3
League (Premier Division)

Match Report

There was only one change in the United line up - Dave Narey for Christian Dailly - as we set about trying to finish the season unbeaten against Celtic.

There was some early action for Carl Muggleton as he made a fine save from Gordan Petric's hard driven 20 yarder before gathering the rebound from the feet of Billy McKinlay, Then the Celtic keeper could only watch as Brian Welsh was only inches away from getting the vital touch to a Billy McKinlay free-kick from the right which itself only drifted narrowly past the far post. However, after a bright start it was Celtic who took an early lead. Lee Martin swept a first time shot over from the right and the unmarked Willie Falconer stretched to reach it with his head. The ball clipped the inside of the post, allowing the former Don a second bite and he ultimately knocked the ball past Guido van de Kamp for his first goal in Celtic's colours. For the remainder of the half, the game ebbed and flowed with goalmouth action at something of a premium. Billy McKinlay firsttimed a slightly fluffed Muggleton clearance straight back at the Celtic goal, but Muggleton was alert enough to prevent any greater embarrassment, whilst Gordan Petric was only inches away with a free-kick which fairly whistled past the angle of bar and post. Right on the interval, however, United suffered a body-blow as Celtic extended their lead when Falconer turned quickly in the box and went down as Dave Narey challenged him and John Collins stroked the resultant penalty well out of the reach of Guido van de Kamp.

That deficit increased to three early in the second half when John Collins floated over a corner which the on rushing Tony Mowbray met and the combined efforts of Guido van de Kamp and Maurice Matpas failed to keep out the Celtic defender's powerful header. United failed to make an impression on a solid Celtic defence until 13 minutes from the end when Mowbray floored Connolly and Craig Brewster stepped up to curve the free-kick round the wall and into the bottom right-hand corner of Muggleton's goal. But that was proved only to be a consolation goal as time ran out on a United side which never functioned on all cylinders.