Aberdeen 0
Dundee Utd 1
Scottish Cup (Semi Final Rep.)

Match Report

For the second visit to Glasgow within three days there was only one change in the Tannadice line-up from the first meeting - Gary Bollan coming in for Jerren Nixon who joined Christian Dailly on the bench. United carried off from where they left off on Saturday, probing the Dons defence for an opening, but the game quickly developed into a midfield battle with little by way of goalmouth action, despite the high stakes. After 20 minutes United's ranks were temporarily reduced by one when Dave Bowman had to go off with blood streaming from a head wound after a clash of heads with Aberdeen's Brian Irvine.

The first credible attempt on goal came whilst Dave Bowman was still off having stitches inserted in that head wound, but Shearer's diving header was about a yard wide of the target. That signalled the first significant spell of pressure of the match by Aberdeen, but United countered that with their first comer immediately after the return of Dave Bowman. It wasn't until five minutes before the break that we had the first serious goal attempt. Guido van der Kamp touched a flying Duncan Shearer header round the post and Brian Irvine directed a header from the resultant corner towards the top left hand comer, only for Craig Brewster to clear his effort off the line. A flurry of United attacks immediately before half time saw Snelders comfortably save a diving header from Craig Brewster and then dash from goal to head clear from Maurice Malpas who had traded places with Gary Bollan to move into midfield.

As at the start United began the second half brightly with Craig Brewster sending in a long ranger, but it was straight to Snelders. Nine minutes into the second period, Shearer turned sharply to fire in a shot on the turn from over 20 yards which had Guido van der Kamp at full stretch to keep out. Next, it was Craig Brewster's turn to have a pot shot at goal with a well struck 35 yarder which was again too close to greatly trouble Snelders. As the minutes ticked by, the prospect of extra-time increasingly loomed, when the Tangerines produced the move of the game to score a goal worthy of carrying us into the Final. Craig Brewster ran onto a ball on the right, checked and sent over a cross to Dave Bowman who dragged the ball to his left before firing in a shot which Snelders could only parry and Jim McInally had to back track as the ball ran behind him, but he turned to fire a left-foot shot into the far corner from six yards.

It had always looked as though one goal would decide the tie and so it proved. However before the end Christian Dailly with a header and a shot at the end of a run of more than half the length of the park could have scored twice and ensured the remaining minutes were played out safely in the knowledge that a seventh cup final had been booked, but in any event the Dons never looked like re-dressing the balance.