Dundee Utd 3
Univ Craiova 0
UEFA Cup (2nd Round 1st Leg)

Match Report

Patience was the foundation of this victory which put us in a strong position for the potentially hazardous trip to Rumania in a fortnight. Only a goal ahead with 10 minutes left, our continual onslaught on the Craiova goal brought two late goals.

After a patchy start, during which Ad Popescu smashed a 25 yarder against the bar, we gradually took control of the game, though the first half pressure brought a string of corners, rather than any serious goal attempts and on the few occasions when the iron Curtain defence was broken, Racolta was in excellent form.

The second period was a different story as we stepped up a gear. Ralph Milne swung over a comer, John Clark, deputising for the injured Paul Hegarty, nodded it down, allowing Ian Redford to steer the ball past Racolta. A few minutes later a repeat of that formula saw Ian's shot sneak narrowly wide. Ian Redford now in the thick of things, then saw his header brilliantly saved, before another was fractionally high. David Bowman then had a shot magnificently saved as the pressure mounted. The Rumanians finally cracked ten minutes from time. Eamonn Bannon's corner from the left was headed in by John Clark, a stand-out as deputy for Paul Hegarty. Two minutes remained when Maurice Malpas, after a mazy run, had a shot blocked by Racolta, but Ian Redford was on the spot to nod in the third goal which makes next week s trip that little bit more comfortable.