Dundee Utd 8
Raith Rovers 1
League (Division One)

Match Report

United recorded only their second win of the league campaign against a Raith Rovers side who looked all at sea for most of the game.

The game was approaching the half hour mark when United confirmed their superiority with a goal, and it came from Dennis Gillespie, as the United inside-right headed home an accurate cross from Ian Mitchell. Jimmy Stevenson handed United a chance for a second minutes later when he handled inside the box and Wattie Carlyle converted the resultant penalty to make it 2-0. A third followed six minutes before the break when Tommy Neilson outpaced the Raith back line to score.

Enjoying a comfortable lead, United took just six minutes to score a fourth in the second half, and it came from the sixteen year old Ian Mitchell, netting his first goal for the Club with a fierce drive. Making his 100th appearance for United, Jim Irvine deceived Jim Thorburn with a shot off the inside of the post to make it 5-0 ten minutes later and shortly after the restart, Carlyle scored his second from close range following a corner. Though it took no embarrassment away from the scoreline, Raith pulled a goal back through Jim McFadzean with twenty minutes left, however, any consolation was short lived as Gillespie sensationally scored direct from a corner just two minutes later. Rounding off the victory, Gillespie scored again on 80 minutes for his hat-trick, working his way through a dishevelled Rovers defence on the right wing to slot home.