Dundee Utd 1
Dunfermline 0
League (Premier Division)

Match Report

As anticipated the clash with the Premier newcomers was a close encounter, but eventually, a goal by Mixu, the Finn, earned us both points, Our victory would have been greater had a brilliant strike by Dave Narey not been cancelled out by a Linesman's flag, indicating off-side. Dunfermline started well with our former midfielder Stuart Beedie prominent. The first real threat on goal came in thirteen minutes when lain Ferguson headed an Eamonn Bannon cross just wide of the near post. At the other end Stuart Beedie's defence splitting past was knocked past the far post by Mark Smith, but ten minutes later we went even closer when lain Ferguson steered a Paul Kinnaird cross against the post, and the ball rebounded into Westwater's arms.

Gradually as the second half progressed. we gained the upper hand. In fact, around the hour mark near siege conditions existed in the Dunfermline penalty box. Stuart Beedie came to the Pars rescue when he cleared a fierce header from Mixu off the line. The goal which had looked on the cards finally came in the 67th minute. A neat interchange between Maurice Malpas and Eamonn Bannon on the left and Eamonn's perfect cross was headed past Westwater by Mixu Paatelainen. The big Finn went close in 76 minutes with a close range shot. The issue seemed to have been put beyond doubt in 84 minutes. Westwater punched out a cross but only to Dave Narey, who acrobatically hammered in a volley, which went in off the underside of the cross-bar. A raised linesman's flag brought premature Tannadice celebrations to a halt. The let-off rose Dunfermline's spirits and for the first time in the match Billy Thomson was tested, firstly by a John Holt drive and then a Steve Morrison free-kick, but a draw would have been an injustice.