Dundee Utd1–2Rangers

Victory over the Ibrox side would have enabled us to claim the best record of any Scottish club against Rangers this season, after sharing the points in the first three games. Manager Jim McLean sprung a minor surprise when the teams were announced with Dave Narey recalled and Brian Welsh made way for him by stepping down to the substitutes' bench. Games against Rangers are always hard fought and certainly in the first half neither set of forwards were able to trouble the dominant defences. Early on Goram had to save a Duncan Ferguson header, whilst Rangers best move of the half ended with a probing Mikhailichenko cross from the left being headed narrowly over by Stevens. Those incidents apart, both sides were restricted to long range efforts. McCoist and Mikhailichenko had shots on target, but Alan Main saved comfortably on each occasion. At the other end Victor Ferreyra and Alex Cleland sent in efforts which both went narrowly wide of the same post. In the 12th minute Ally McCoist took a knock on the back of the head in an aerial dual with Maurice Malpas which eventually forced him to leave the field.

As McCoist scored all Rangers goals against us this season, a major threat seemed to have been removed from the action. However, Ukranian Alexei Mikhailichenko stepped into that breach as he curled home a shot which entered the net via a post to edge Rangers ahead. Ironically, Duncan Ferguson had hit the base of the post a minute earlier with a cross from deep on the right. Rangers lead was, fortunately, to be short-lived as Jim McInally sneaked in on the blind side of the Rangers' defence to fiercely side-foot a Freddy Van Der Hoorn cross past Goram from six yards. The threat posed by Mikhailichenko reared itself again when he lashed in an angular first time drive which Alan Main did superbly well to fist clear. John Brown was next to test Alan Main who had to tip over a sweetly struck shot from fully 35 yards. But, the Rangers defender enjoyed better luck when the corner came over, latching on to a loose ball to drill the ball low past Alan Main from ten yards. Rideout could, and should have put the result beyond doubt with 17 minutes left, but dragged the ball too far wide as he beat Alan Main in a one on-one situation . We piled on the pressure for an equaliser in the last ten minutes. A last ditch clearance by Robertson prevented Grant Johnson from scoring as he broke through and Brian Welsh hit a half volley over immediately afterwards, but Rangers held on to record another victory on their now inevitable path to the title, whilst defeat meant we slipped down a place in the table to fifth with Aberdeen going above us. In a game which was never dirty seven players were booked, four United players and three of the visitors.