Dundee 0
Dundee Utd 3
League (SPL)

Match Report

For the first competitive Dundee Derby at Dens Park since April 2005, Peter Houston kept with the same team which had defeated Stranraer 5-0 in the Scottish Cup the previous weekend. United had triumphed 3-0 at Dens in the pre-season friendly between the sides and the 4,500 Arabs housed in the Bob Shankly and Main Stands were hoping for a similar outcome on this occasion.

The hosts started the brighter in the opening exchanges applying some early pressure on the United back four. Steven Milne played Nicky Riley down the right hand side but his ball into the area was cleared by Willo Flood. Jim McAllister also tested the Tangerine defence, however, his cross was cleared by Gavin Gunning. United’s first chance of the half came on 15 minutes when Willo Flood took the ball beyond Kevin McBride. Flood’s cross into the box was cleared by Milne but his header fell to Stuart Armstrong whose 20-yard effort was deflected for a corner. The Terrors would take the lead from the resultant corner. Barry Douglas delivered his left-footed cross to the near-post and Keith Watson peeled off his marker and with a superb diving header the full-back sent the ball across the line to make it 1-0 to Dundee United. Dundee were by no means out of the game and in the 26th minute McAlister’s high flicked pass found John Baird. However, despite forcing a save from Cierzniak, the offside flag had been raised. Dundee’s best chance of the game came on 29 minutes. Matt Lockwood’s cross found the head of McAlister, who nodded to Milne, but he volleyed over the bar from eight yards out missing what can only be described as a “sitter”.

The second half started with United looking the sharper of the sides and Stuart Armstrong tested Rab Douglas in goal when an excellent pass from Johnny Russell allowed the midfielder to get his shot off. Referee Wllie Collum did not endear himself to the home fans by denying them a penalty. Brian McLean, in attempting to pull his hand away, inadvertently touched the ball with his hand. However, Collum adjudged the contact to be accidental. On 50 minutes, United almost doubled their advantage when Johnny Russell smacked the post with a fine strike leaving Douglas completely beaten. The second United goal came on 71 minutes. Stuart Armstrong did fantastically well to block an attempted clearance on the left and played the ball to Daly whose shot was straight at Rab Douglas, but Collum adjudged Armstrong to have been fouled by Gary Irvine. Jon Daly himself stepped up to convert powerfully into Douglas’s left corner, making it 2-0. In the 88th minute the game was put beyond any doubt. Willo Flood received the ball at the edge of the box and his shot deflected off Kyle Benedictus. Douglas got his hand to it but the ball rolled across the line to make it 3-0.