Dundee Utd 2
Celtic 0
League (Premier Division)

Match Report

Celtic's third visit of the season proved no more profitable than their previous two as we defeated them for the third time without having lost a goal in the process. At the same time it stretched our unbeaten run to 10 games.

The match, particularly in the first half was played at a frantic pace and our prospects weren't enhanced by two early injuries. Firstly, Darren Jackson, making his debut following his £200,000 transfer from Newcastie United was injured after winning the ball in a tackle with Derek Whyte and had to hobble off. A few minutes later Dave Bowman came off worst in a challenge by Mark McGhee and although he limped on for a few minutes, he was forced to retire after 17 minutes, leaving us without any substitutes.

Celtic immediately created their best chance of the match when Paul McStay's tremendous surge forward took him past the United rearguard, but his shot slipped past the far post. Ten minutes later a series of headers in the Celtic box ended with Paul Hegarty heading narrowly past. Then it was Celtic's turn to go close with Mark McGhee hammering in a tremendous first time shot from the edge of the box which Billy Thomson did well to turn round the post for a corner. A couple of minutes before half-time a quickly delivered cross by Mixu Paatelainen had Derek Whyte scrambling the ball away to safety.

The Finn was unlucky not to score in the 52nd minute when a clever through ball by Jim Mclnally put him clear, but Bonner stretched high to beat down Mixu's chip. The deadlock was broken in the 67th minute. Kevin Gallacher's run into the box was halted when Lex Baillie brought him down and Mixu Paatelainen neatly despatched the spot-kick into the right-hand corner. A couple of minutes later Bonner, at full stretch, saved a quick shot on the turn by Kevin Gallacher from outside the box.

Celtic, for all their possession found it difficult to make an opening and were forced in to shooting from long range, few of which seriously troubled Billy Thomson. Any lingering doubts about a United victory were removed five minutes from time. Kevin Gallacher was tripped by Baillie.

Jim McInally's free found Mixu Paatelainen, who got a foot to the ball, which went spinning up in the air and was eventually headed in by the luckless Lex Baillie under pressure from Mixu Paatelainen. Not long before the final whistle Billy Thomson made a fine stop from a long range effort by Frank McAvennie to end a highly satisfactory afternoon for us.