Dundee Utd 3
Coleraine 1
UEFA Cup (1st Round 2nd Leg)

Match Report

Manager Jim McLean prior to the match was quick to point that no tie was a formality and his words were pro-phetic as the part-timers from Coleraine gave United fans some scary moments, particularly in the second half. The opening thirty minutes hardly foretold the drama that was to later unfold. We were very much in the driving seat, and only a last ditch clearance from an O'Neill shot had caused any reason for concern in the United ranks. On the half hour mark we took the lead. Gary McGinnis's cross was knocked down by Paul Hegarty to Kevin Gallacher, who eventually forced the ball over the line at the third attempt. Before the interval, Paul Sturrock only just failed to convert a McLeod cross and Paul Hegarty saw Platt make a good save from his header.

Right from the start of the second period Coleraine were on the offensive, and it brought early dividends. Wade hit Billy Thomson's legs and the Irishmen kept up the pressure McGurnaghan found full-back Edgar, who drove the ball beyond Billy Thomson. For the next twenty minutes Jim Plan's men chased everything, knocking us out of our stride, but towards the end they tired and we eventually put the tie beyond their reach in the 73rd minute. An Alan Irvine corner was headed down by John Clark and Paul Sturrock wheeled to score. With eight minutes left, another cross by Alan Irvine was converted by John Clark to put a better complexion on an otherwise below par European performance.