Dundee 1
Dundee Utd 1
League (Premier Division)

Match Report

The third derby of the season proved to be the most one-sided, but despite all our pressure, we were unable to record our first win of the season over our city rivals. There was a late set back to our plans for the match when Dave Narey had to be sent home because he was suffering from flu and Dave Bowman returned lo the side after injury. The first half produced one way traffic towards Tom Carson in Dundee's goal and not for the first time the Dens Park 'keeper turned in a defiant performance. He produced three magnificent saves from John Clark in that opening forty-five minutes. The first came as early as the second minute when Kevin Gallacher's jinxing run was halted by Chisholm just outside the box and John Clark's powerfully struck free-kick was palmed round the post by Carson. Nine minutes later Carson was again in action, tipping a looping John Clark header over the bar. Apart from a couple of dangerous crosses our goal was threatened and twelve minutes before half-time, Carson was once more denying John Clark. Another free-kick award after Mixu Paatelainen had been up-ended on the edge of the box was the source of this further act of defiance. John Clark stepped up and fired in a ferocious free-kick, but Carson somehow managed to turn it round the post. There was a minor scare a few minutes from the interval when Alan Main couldn't hold a Campbell free-kick, but the ball was eventually scrambled to safety.

The second halt was only six minutes old when Carson was finally forced to admit defeat and there was very little he could do to prevent us going ahead. Mixu Paatelainen made a run down the right and when his cross came over, Darren Jackson met it first time to rifle the ball low past Carson. Midway through the half we almost tied up the points. Kevin Gallacher's pass found Darren Jackson, but Carson pulled off yet another superb save by turning the ball round the post. We paid for our misses six minutes from time when Gordon Chisholm headed in a corner to equalise with what was about Dundee's only direct effort on goal of the match.