Dundee Utd2–1Falkirk

Manager Jim McLean was forced into making his first change in five matches with Dave Narey ruled out after an injection for his back complaint the previous day. Victor Ferreyra returned to the starting line-up for the first time in over a month and Darren Jackson moved into midfield to accommodate the Argentinian international. Freddy Van Der Hoorn moved to central defence with Jim Mclnally going into the back four. Falkirk came to Tannadice with the confidence which a five match unbeaten run had given them and it showed as they opened in aggressive fashion with former Dundee midfielder Gary Lennox, forcing Guido Van De Kamp to dive full length to touch his 25-yarder round the post. It took us a while to settle against the confident side from Brockville and our first scoring opportunity came from an up-and-under from Billy McKinlay which Darren Jackson controlled beautifully before cutting inside to send in a shot from the edge of the box which Westwater parried past the post. This was to be the first of several fine saves by the former Hearts and Dunfermline goalkeeper as we turned the screws on the newly promoted visitors. Westwater then kept out a rocket shot from Victor Ferreyra; fisted away a snap-shot from Duncan Ferguson and then tipped a 25-yarder from Billy McKinlay round the post as we maintained the momentum. However, the interval was rapidly approaching and Falkirk looked as though they had survived the onslaught until Victor Ferreyra struck. Maurice Malpas hoisted a free-kick into the heart of the box, Duncan Ferguson headed it down and Victor Ferreyra whipped the ball past Westwater.

Ten minutes into the second half we looked to have removed any doubts as to the destination of the points. Dave Bowman slung over a cross from the right. Brian Whittaker, standing on the side of the six yard box got a head to it and the ball looped over Westwater and dropped in to the net just inside the far post. When Falkirk were reduced to ten men after Hughes was dismissed for a second bookable offence as Billy McKinlay was bundled off the ball as he was going clean through, a Falkirk revival looked unlikely. But the Brockville men rolled up their sleeves and as we have found in the past playing against ten men is far from easy. Guido Van De Kamp made a great block from a McAllister shot eleven minutes from the end, but was to be beaten a minute later when Kevin McAllister ran on to Oliver's through ball and beat Guido Van De Kamp. Falkirk's fighting finish might have earned them a point, but for a timely tackle by John Clark as substitute Sloan bore in on goal, but despite that narrow squeak, we fully deserved to extend our unbeaten sequence to six matches.