Dunfermline 1
Dundee Utd 0
League (Premier Division)

Match Report

Lightning struck twice in almost exactly the same place as far as our second trip of the season to East End Park was concerned. Back in December Pars defender, Davie Moyes, had headed a late winner with what proved to be the only goal of the game. On this occasion his last minute goal brought compounded misery because it allowed Celtic to leap-frog us in the table and claim a UEFA Cup place at our expense. Yet for almost the entire previous 88 minutes we had been in complete command, but passed up a series chances and found Westwater making his first appearance of the season in the Pars goal in defiant mood. From the very outset we looked the sharper outfit and we were unlucky not to take the lead in the 22nd minute when John Clark made ground down the right to send in a leep cross to the far post. Jim McInally headed the ball back across the goal and Hamish French stabbed in a shot which came back off the edge of the post and straight into Westwater's arms. Duncan Ferguson then directed header just wide and then shot over as we maintained the pressure. When Duncan Ferguson was on target he found Westwater on hand to smother his close range effort.

The second half opened in similar vein and Westwater did well to keep out efforts from John O'Neil and Hamish French. The Pars' keeper was again in action on the hour mark to keep out a Freddy Van Der Hoorn shot, this time blocking the Dutchman's efforts from the edge of the box with his legs. Another Ferguson header went just past and then Westwater touched yet another try by Duncan Ferguson past the post. With a minute to go and the point we required for Europe seemingly secure, disaster struck. A McCall free-kick into the penalty area was met by Davie Moyes who sent a looping header over Alan Main into the net. So having been in the top three of the League all season, Pars last gasp winner cast us into fourth place and out of the UEFA Cup frame.