Aberdeen 0
Dundee Utd 2
League (Premier Division)

Match Report

With snow yet again threatening the Scottish football programme, United travelled to Pittodrie where thankfully the match was to go ahead. Both sides were unchanged from their midweek games, and took to the field after it had been cleared of the swirling snow.

The two teams struggled in the opening minutes, trying to deal with the treacherous surface, and it took a while for the game to spark into life. Two long range efforts from John Holt and Dave Narey went wide. before Billy Kirkwood brought out a fine save from Clark to turn it around the post. Kennedy started off Aberdeen's best effort in the 25th minute when he evaded Stark to pass to Sullivan, and when the cross came in Miller headed right into McAlpine's hands. Davidson latched onto a Narey clearance to smash in a 20-yarder that rattled McAlpine's crossbar with the keeper well beaten, but Jarvie screwed the rebound wide. With two minutes of the half remaining, McMaster fired a free-kick from 25 yards against the post, and a scramble in the box ended with Miller running the ball past.

Ten minutes into the second half United took the lead, when a Narey free-kick was finished off by Paul Sturrock, who angled perfectly past a despairing Clark. Dodds was then sent clear with a Hegarty pass, but with just Clark to beat, he slid weakly past the post. United were growing in confidence as the game progressed, and Hegarty was only a foot off target when he rose for a Holt corner. George Fleming then put United further ahead in the 70th minute when he fired past Clark from a spot-on cross from Sturrock. Holt was then booked for a foul on Strachan as Aberdeen pressed forward in desperation, but there was little the Dons could do to upset the composure of a poised United side. A late effort from Jarvie gave a wee thrill to the home supporters, but his shot was well off target. United maintained their two-point lead at the top, but Aberdeen trailed behind by seven points with manager Alex Ferguson all but ruling out his sides chances of winning the league.