Dundee Utd 3
Hibernian 0
League (SPL)

Match Report

After an absorbing Europa League tie against Dynamo Moscow on Thursday night, it was the start of SPL business for the hosts as they welcomed Hibernian to Tannadice for an early Sunday kick off. Having obviously been impressed with the efforts of his starting side in the previous game Peter Houston made no changes as he sought for a morale boosting win which would ensure the perfect start to the league campaign. The pitch was in immaculate condition and a healthy crowd was in attendance for what appeared to be an attractive game against a Hibs side who always like to have a go. Having not endured the best of league form over the last few years boss pat Fenlon and his squad would be eager to set a different tone early on, and were set up to try and achieve a positive result.

Shooting down the slope towards the Eddie Thomson stand the tangerines were clearly keen to gain the initiative from the off and before 2 minutes were played there was a shout for a penalty when Hibs defender David Stephens was short with a headed back pass, which forced keeper Ben Williams to rush out to prevent Johnny Russell having an empty net to aim at. The United striker touched the ball beyond Williams and was battered to the ground but not strongly enough to award the spot kick according to referee Craig Thomson. Barely a minute later Russell, clearly not adversely affected by the collision, was given an opportunity to score and made no mistake in securing the home side an early lead. Barry Douglas swung in a cross to the far side of the area which Daly nodded back to John Rankin who in turn headed the ball perfectly for Johnny Russell inside the 6 yard box to swivel and fire home into the bottom corner. There was a close thing in the 8th minute, and again it was Russell who forced Williams to only just palm a fierce half volley from the edge of the box onto the roof of the net. Having endured a lot of home pressure Hibs first tested United keeper Radoslaw Cierzniak in the 13th minute but after jostling for space inside the box for a shot all Leigh Griffiths could muster was a safe effort right at the Tannadice new boy. Gary Mackay-Steven tried an ambitious long range shot which Williams had to watch closely drift past the post before there was another penalty claim for the terrors in 21 minutes, this time appeals that visiting captain James McPake had pushed Daly to the ground following a cross from Mackay-Steven, with again Thomson waving the claims away. Eoin Doyle threatened for Hibs before another Russell penalty claim was followed by attempts from Mackay-Steven and Daly as the hosts pushed for a second. They came within a whisker of it in the 35th minute as a Keith Watson cross was flicked towards the bottom corner by Daly only for Williams to pull off a marvellous fingertip save when a goal seemed inevitable. As a half which had pretty much been all about United going forward drew to a close, a nice piece of inter play between Mackay-Steven and Russell saw the former charge into the box only to be foiled in the act of shooting, and a corner was the only reward.

There was a change at half time for the hosts as summer signing Brian McLean entered the fray to replace Sean Dillon alongside Gavin Gunning at the heart of the defence. The hosts almost repeated their first half feat of netting early as Russell came within inches of netting his team a second goal. Mackay-Steven broke into the box and cleverly played the striker into the same area from which he had struck the earlier goal, but after taking a touch to control this time he shot low, just wide of William’s left post. Daly was then set up by Mackay-Steven in the 6 yard box but instead of curling the ball into the far corner he could only shoot tamely into the hands of Williams. United were passing the ball comfortably and while Hibs were not showing any real signs of mounting a comeback, a one goal lead is never safe and much to the relief of the majority of supporters in attendance, that vital second goal arrived after 74 minutes. The excellent Mackay-Steven drove the ball towards goal following panic in the Hibs defence and Jon Daly rose at the back post to apply the final touch with Williams left helpless. You got the feeling another goal was there for the taking and in injury time sub Michael Gardyne, making his competitive debut, raced onto a John Rankin through ball to sublimely guide the ball into the net beyond Williams to round off a thoroughly impressive afternoon for the terrors. It was the perfect start to the league campaign and no one could dispute the outcome was a clear reflection on the game. From back to front the hosts were in control and can now head over to Moscow in confident mood. From the clean sheet to the well taken 3 goals, Peter Houston will have been greatly impressed by the way the players handled the game and showed no ill effects from Thursday night’s tough encounter.