Dundee Utd1–2Aberdeen

There were contrasting hopes for both sides ahead of this crunch SPL encounter at Tannadice. Confidence in the United camp must have been as high as it had been all season following the superb display during Sunday’s Scottish Cup Quarter Final. With life not altogether comfortable at the wrong end of the table, the Tangerines’ wish was understandably a repeat performance and a vital three points. Aberdeen on the other hand still had one eye on Europe and must have been desperate to erase what for them must have been a horrendous end to their cup campaign.

Unsurprisingly, Ian McCall kept faith with the same starting eleven from Sunday whilst Aberdeen brought in Phil McGuire in place of the injured Marcus Heikkinen. In only the second minute James Grady was presented with an opportunity six yards out but his shot cleared the crossbar, after Wilson had found space for a cross. Unfortunately this was to remain the best opportunity for the home side in what was a disastrous first half. In nine minutes, Zander Diamond fired the visitors ahead from eight yards as United’s defence failed to clear a Jamie Winter cross properly. With Aberdeen clearly having learned their lesson from Sunday they allowed the United midfield no time on the ball which in turn prevented the home side from creating any clear cut chances. Things took a turn for the worse on the stroke of half time as, again, the United defence failed to deal properly with a corner kick into the box. The ball fell to substitute John Stewart twelve yards out and his shot was deflected into the net via McGuire. A McGuire header then clipped the top of the bar in virtually the last moment of the half, with United thankful to remain two goals down.

If the first half lacked any real entertainment or excitement for the United support, then the second half was a completely different affair. Aberdeen defender Zander Diamond was red-carded in the fifty-sixth minute for a second bookable offence, following a trip on Barry Robson. Within four minutes United had capitalised and reduced the arrears to a single goal. Mark Kerr showed great perseverance in winning the ball at the edge of the area and fed Jason Scotland who finished left footed with just Ryan Esson to beat. It was then game on and everyone in the ground must have thought the equaliser had come for Grady in sixty-one minutes. Scotland showed great trickery on the right wing and broke into the box before drilling the ball into the heart of the Aberdeen goal area. Grady made contact virtually on the goal line but somehow the ball stayed out and Michael Hart was able to clear for Aberdeen. Grady failed to trouble Esson when he was presented with another chance a minute later, though this time from around fourteen yards. Robson had a shot deflected and Esson had to act swiftly to tip the ball over with five minutes remaining, before United were also reduced to ten men as injury time approached. Paul Ritchie chopped down Darren Mackie and was shown his second yellow card in the space of a few minutes, but in truth the offence could have seen the United captain being shown a straight red as he was the last man. There was a late appeal for a penalty when Stevie Crawford appeared to be pulled back whilst attempting to reach a Billy Dodds through ball however nothing was given and the home side were forced to accept defeat again, when they ought really to have at least taken a point.