Dundee Utd 1
Partick Th 0
Scottish Cup (5th Round)

Match Report

The hosts welcomed Partick Thistle to Tannadice in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup looking to build on the resounding 5-1 success last time out against Kilmarnock. After missing out on the League game which was postponed away at Partick the previous week boss Mixu Paatelainen unsurprisingly kept faith with the same starting side for the second game in succession. The most notable inclusions were on the bench as Kyle Knoyle, on loan from West Ham, was listed alongside Henri Anier and Florent Sinama-Pongolle who returned from loan and injury respectively.

United made a bright start with Billy Mckay and Simon Murray looking hungry during the opening minutes. In the 6th minute the hosts earned their first corner which Coll Donaldson headed over the bar from 8 yards following Blair Spittal’s delivery. Ref Willie Collum then angered the home support when he allowed play to run on following what seemed a late challenge on Paul Paton, with Sean Welsh going on to strike high over the bar for Partick. Welsh did much better moments later with a 20 yard effort which Eiji Kawashima parried out before Donaldson brilliantly cleared for a corner just ahead of the incoming Stuart Bannigan. There then followed a scramble in the United box before Collum blew for a foul on Kawashima, triggering ironic cheers from the crowd. At the other end Murray won the ball at the bye line and after appearing to be fouled outside the box play carried on. John Rankin showed great tenacity to win the ball back for the terrors before driving into the 6 yard box and seeing his right foot shot diverted for a corner. From the set piece Donaldson again won the first header before Ryan Dow headed straight at Tomas Cerny from a decent position. A counter attack from Thistle in the 28th minute almost paid dividends when a low cross from Callum Booth just evaded Sean Welsh at the back post who had an open goal had he made good contact. The game had become more low key as the half wore on however in the 40th minute Mckay and Murray combined well with the latter seeing his angled shot capably dealt with by Cerny. With no further chances thereafter at either end the sides went into the break goalless.

The game struggled to come to life again after the break with an early surge into the box from McKay and a blocked Murray snap shot the best the Tangerines could muster. Partick made a double substitution in 64 minutes as they brought on Mathias Pogba and Gary Fraser for Kris Doolan and Sean Welsh. This was during a flurry of corners for the away side which the United defence dealt with comfortably. In the 67th minute Rankin broke into the left side of the box and fired a teasing cross in front of goal which Murray came within a fraction of connecting with in the 6 yard box. As the game entered the closing stages Scott Fraser was sent on for Dow as the manager looked to inject some late urgency and he almost immediately scored when he took a pass from Guy Demel before seeing his left foot shot deflected wide of Cerny’s post. Demel then went off injured being replaced by Paul Dixon before Gavin Gunning headed the corner over the bar. With just 7 minutes to go David Amoo latched onto a short headed back pass from Donaldson but the ball ran beyond Kawashima and safely out for a goal kick. A couple of minutes later the deadlock was finally broken and much to the relief of the majority of the crowd it was a goal from the hosts. After retaining good possession deep in the Partick half Spittal played a neat pass in the box which put Fraser in the clear and he turned inside before sublimely finishing low onto the bottom right corner. Murray was just beaten to another through ball shortly after by Cerny as they tried to seal the win however they did a sterling job of running down the 4 minutes of added time to secure a place in the next round.

Formation: 3-2-3-2
Captain: Seán Dillon
Arab Archive 'Man of the Match': Paul Paton

Match Photos courtesy of Riki Grauer - More photos available at:
Dundee United Official Flickr Page

Match report written by Ally Stewart