Dundee Utd 3
Motherwell 1
League (Premier Division)

Match Report

The much changed United eleven secured our first victory in four outings and the winning margin could have been considerably greater given a fairer share of the breaks. It was Motherwell who threatened first, when Cowan headed wide wide of the front post. After a sluggish start we gradually began to get on top and Ian McPhee was unlucky to see his shot rebound off the post in the 21st minute. A goal was only temporarily delayed. Two minutes later Jim McInally swun over a cross which Mixu Paatelainen headed into the corner of the net from 10 yards. The Finn was involved in our second goal in 35 minutes. He was fouled outside the box. The free-kick was rolled to Iain Ferguson whose powerful grounder slipped through Duncan's leg's and though the 'Keeper retrieved the ball, it wasn't in time to prevent it crossing the line.

Twelve minutes into the second half Motherwell went very close to pulling one back, when only a brilliant reaction save by Billy Thomson kept out a Craig Paterson header. A minute Kevin Gallacher did find the net with a header, but a linesman's flag indicated that Mixu was in an offside position. In the 61st minute Gary McGinnis blocked a Caughey shot, which the referee adjudged as hand ball. Steve Cowan swept home the spot kick. Almost immediately our appeals for penalty were answered by free-kick outside the box after Ian McPhee was tripped. Ian's effort following the award was only just tipped round the post by Duncan. We finally gained reward for some persistent pressure a minute from the end when Iain Ferguson's left wing surge saw him cross into the middle and Philliben's attempted clearance fell to Gordon McLeod who volleyed the ball high into the net.