Dundee Utd 2
Hamilton 1
League (Premier Division)

Match Report

Victory over Hamilton edges us into third place in the league, but at the same time officially consigned Hamilton to relegation.

Accies had sportingly applauded us onto the park, but found us in less charitable mood on the field, despite the absence of Ian Redford and Maurice Malpas, whilst leading scorer Iain Ferguson was only a substitute.

The crowd of over 7,244, boosted by many taking advantage of the free voucher, which was part of the UEFA Cup Semi-Final tie with Borussia, saw United fall behind to Accies against the run of play in the 28th minute. A moment of hesitancy in the heart of the Tannadice defence allowed Hugh Burns to stroke the ball into an empty net.

Stung into action, we stormed back and five minutes later we spurned a golden opportunity to equalise. Jamieson pushed Hegarty in the box, but John Clark, operating as a striker, saw his shot and follow-up effort twice acrobatically saved by Ferguson in the Accies goal. John was then unfortunate to see a header strike the post. However, John's luck turned when his long through ball found Eamonn Bannon on the left, Eamonn flashed past Martin to the bye-line and, instead of cutting the ball back, unexpectedly crashed the ball past Ferguson from the extremely narrow angle.

McKee squandered an easy chance for Accies four minutes after the break, and in the 67th minute we took the lead. John Holt captured the ball in midfield, fed Eamonn Bannon on the left and his perfect cross was headed in by John Clark running in at the far post. Although almost totally dominant in the last 20 minutes or so, we almost dropped a point had Billy Thomson not made such a good save from a McKee shot.