Dundee Utd 0
Dundee 0
League (Premier Division)

Match Report

A run of three defeats came to a halt with a goalless draw in the second Tayside derby of the season. Despite having a complete monopoly of play we failed to get the goals which our outfield play undoubtedly deserved. The fact that we didn't was due almost entirely to Tom Carson in Dundee's goal. The big 'keeper almost always seems to play a blinder at Tannadice and it came as no surprise that he won the sponsor's Man of the Match award. The first of a string of fine saves came in the 10th minute when Carson got down smartly to save a low grounder from Maurice Malpas. He made a similar save from a Mixu Paatelainen header in the 29th minute as play continuously flowed towards his goal. Five minutes before half-time came the best save of the first half when he parried a blistering 20 yarder from Freddy Van Der Hoorn.

Two minutes into the second half came another near miss, but in the most unorthodox fashion. Alan Main's punt upfield skidded over Carson's head slipped narrowly past the post. It was the 51st minute before Alan Main was seriously tested and the save he made was the equal of any that Tom Carson made. Keith Wright found himself in space and his well struck low shot was brilliantly held by Alan Main low down to his left. Almost midway through the half a well worked free-kick was only denied its just reward by the woodwork. Billy McKinlay flighted a free-kick to the head of Mixu Paatelainen whose header was met by Jimmy McInally, but his volley crashed against the face of the bar. Dundee had another rare glimpse of goal when Wright's diagonal pass found Dodds, but he couldn't keep his shot down. As the minutes ticked away we stepped up the pace and Carson blocked Kevin Gallacher's shot after he had broken clear; Carson then turned a first time shot from Kevin Gallacher over the bar and in a final fling Dave Narey saw a scorching shot saved by Carson and another blocked by a defender. lf we didn't get the goals we deserved there was the consolation that the defence and its new formation incorporating a sweeper never looked like conceding a goal.