Dundee Utd 2
Aberdeen 1
League (Premier Division)

Match Report

Most of the media attention focussed on the dismissal of Dons' manager Alex Ferguson to the stand, and by so doing tended to overshadow one of our best performances of the season. We have never found Aberdeen easy opposition at Tannadice but on this occasion the result perhaps failed to reflect our superiority.

Paul Sturrock was fielded in what was regarded as something of a gamble in view of his injury. The move proved a winner. Paul curled over a free-kick which Paul Hegarty rose to head. The United skipper then pursued his first effort only to be brought down by Jim Leighton as he tried to evade the Dons' 'keeper. Eamonn Bannon fired in the resultant spot kick in exemplary fashion.

On the half-hour mark Aberdeen, after almost falling two behind when Paul Sturrock's shot went only just wide, got back on level terms. A run by Joe Miller on the right led to the youngster squaring the ball to the edge of the box and Billy Stark crashed in an equaliser. Five minutes from half-time came the winner. Davie Dodds' through ball was latched on to by Paul Sturrock, who beat the offside trap, and carried on to hammer the ball past Leighton as the Aberdeen man endeavoured to block his path.