Dundee Utd 4
Motherwell 0
League (Premier Division)
Dundee UtdDundee Utd |
4 - 04 - 0 |
MotherwellMotherwell |
 |
League (Premier Division) |
 |
| Goalscorers | |
|
Eamonn Bannon (27) Eamonn Bannon (pen.) (53) Davie Dodds (72) Davie Dodds (82) |
None. |
| Team Managers | |
|
Jim McLean |
Jock Wallace |
| Starting Eleven | |
|
1. Hamish McAlpine 2. Derek Stark 3. Maurice Malpas 4. Billy Kirkwood 5. Paul Hegarty 6. Dave Narey 7. Eamonn Bannon 8. Ralph Milne 9. John Holt 10. Paul Sturrock 11. Davie Dodds |
Nicky Walker .1 Andy Dornan .2 Ian MacLeod .3 Graham Forbes .4 Joe Carson .5 Bobby Flavell .6 John Gahagan .7 Stuart Rafferty .8 Johannes Edvalsson .9 Brian McClair .10 Alister Mauchlen .11 |
| Bench | |
|
12. Iain Phillip 14. John Reilly |
Tommy O'Hara .12 Gary McAllister .14 |
| Substitutions | |
| None. |
Tommy O'Hara for Alister Mauchlen (63) Gary McAllister for Stuart Rafferty (63) |
| Cautions | |
| None. | None. |
| Red Cards | |
| None. | None. |
| Match Officials | |
|
David Syme (Rutherglen) (Referee) |
Match Report
After temporarily being displaced by Aberdeen whose match with Killie had been brought forward. United moved back into pole position with this third successive 4-0 win. Just under 12,000 noisy fans came out to support the team in their penultimate match in what was starting to look like a historic season for the club.
United looked edgy as they began the match at home to Motherwell. However, in captain Paul Hegarty, they had a player who was always there to sweep up any danger caused by the Fir Park club. His presence has been immensely re-assuring to the team over the last few weeks, always so dependable in pressure situations. However, it was team-mate Bannon who was created all the problems at the other end. Eamonn Bannon's opened the scoring with a magnificent free-kick in the 27th minute that settled the nerves. He guided the ball around the Motherwell defensive wall into the farthest away point from goalkeeper Nicky Walker. From this moment on, United began to play with the freedom that has got them into this commanding league position. But they had to settle for a solitary goal lead at the interval.
Eamonn Bannon doubled United's lead shortly after the interval when he converted a penalty. It was Paul Sturrock who won the award after going down following a late challenge by Forbes. Sturrock had gone down minutes earlier in the box but referee Syme ignored the claims. Davie Dodds made it three in the 72nd minute with a fine finish. With just 8 minutes remaining, Davie Dodds clinched the match when he finished off a spectacular footballing move in which Bannon was instrumental. Walker had done well to parry away Milne's shot, but he could not deny Dodds. So a double from both Dodds and Bannon had set the stage for an almighty clash between the Dundee neighbours at Dens Park the following week. Afterwards Jim McLean went to some length to insist that his team will not feel the pressure this week. Time will tell.
Squad Statistics (as at May 7th, 1983)
| 1982-83 | All Time | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | Nat |  |
 |
|
|
|
| Hamish McAlpine (GK) | 35 |
|
53 | - | 578 | 3 |
| Dave Narey | 26 |
|
54 | 9 | 450 | 34 |
| Paul Hegarty | 28 |
|
54 | 5 | 403 | 58 |
| John Holt | 26 |
|
36 | 4 | 233 | 20 |
| Derek Stark | 24 |
|
49 | 2 | 204 | 5 |
| Maurice Malpas | 20 |
|
50 | 2 | 75 | 2 |
| Billy Kirkwood | 24 |
|
48 | 7 | 269 | 54 |
| Ralph Milne | 21 |
|
48 | 20 | 157 | 47 |
| Eamonn Bannon | 25 |
|
42 | 12 | 188 | 51 |
| Davie Dodds | 24 |
|
54 | 28 | 229 | 95 |
| Paul Sturrock | 26 |
|
44 | 16 | 373 | 118 |
League Table (as at May 7th, 1983)
| Pld | W | D | L | +/- | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | DUNDEE UTD | 35 | 23 | 8 | 4 | +54 | 54 |
| 2. | Celtic | 35 | 24 | 5 | 6 | +52 | 53 |
| 3. | Aberdeen | 35 | 24 | 5 | 6 | +47 | 53 |
| 4. | Rangers | 35 | 13 | 12 | 10 | +13 | 38 |
| 5. | St Mirren | 34 | 9 | 12 | 13 | -7 | 30 |
| 6. | Dundee | 34 | 9 | 11 | 14 | -9 | 29 |
| 7. | Hibernian | 35 | 7 | 15 | 13 | -11 | 29 |
| 8. | Motherwell | 35 | 11 | 4 | 20 | -34 | 26 |
| 9. | Morton | 35 | 6 | 8 | 21 | -42 | 20 |
| 10. | Kilmarnock | 35 | 3 | 10 | 22 | -63 | 16 |
| League results since United's last match |
|---|
| 2nd May 1983 |
|---|
| Hibernian | 0-0 | Aberdeen |
| 3rd May 1983 |
|---|
| Dundee | 2-1 | Rangers |
| 4th May 1983 |
|---|
| Aberdeen | 5-0 | Kilmarnock |
| 7th May 1983 |
|---|
| Celtic | 2-0 | Morton |
| Dundee Utd | 4-0 | Motherwell |
| Hibernian | 1-2 | Rangers |
Manager's Programme Notes
In this, the last programme of the season, I would like to express my thanks for the tremendous support you have given us throughout this term, and particularly at Cappielow last Saturday. One Criticism I could level against our home fans is the noticeably louder encouragement at away games. That was certamly evident in recent matches at Parkhead and Greenock. Our season now hinges on the outcome of today's match and at Dens Park next Saturday. Both are absolately vital. But that is not an unaccustomed situation for the players. Only the League Cup tie with Raith Rovers and friendlies against West Ham and Everton haven't fallen into that category. The players have responded admirably to this almost unceasing pressure and no matter what lies ahead, they are to be congratulated on a recordbreaking season.
Apart from being far and away our most successful at Premier level, two further landmarks have been achieved. The two points at Cappieiow broke the club's highest points total for a season and the fourth goal at Greenock boosted the season's scoring aggregate to 121 —equalling the club record. The Reserves, too, have had a successful season. Already they have captured the Reserve League Cup, look certain to top the Reserve League East and still have to meet Rangers in the 2nd Xl Cup semi-final, I would, however, have been happier if this success had been achieved with more outstanding young players, lan Britton, lan Phillip and Wattie Smith have formed the back bone of the side. We do have some good young players but I am disappointed at the lack of hunger displayed by some of them. None appear keen to put in extra work to improve their basic skills and that will slow down their progress to first team level. Motherwell, our visitors today, are now free from relegation worries and back to full strength following a series of suspensions. They can, therefore, approach this encounter in a relaxed mood that can only increase the difficulty of our task which is not only to win but probably attempt to score as many goals as possible, dependent on Aberdeen's mid-week results. I would therefore appeal to you all to give the players your complete backing this afternoon.