Aberdeen 0
Dundee Utd 1
League (Premier Division)

Match Report

Pittodrie was regarded as the ideal preparation for the forthcoming European clash with Barcelona, but at the end of ninety minutes the relevance of our victory was a tremendous boost to our title hopes, quite apart from building confidence for Wednesday's European tie. The spectating Barcelona spy wouldn't have been too upset at half-time as we contained Aberdeen. Our only scoring chance game when an Ian Redford header was cleared from the vacant goal by Billy Stark. John Hewitt and Brian Grant had been denied on a couple of occasions in the first half in which Aberdeen was slightly ahead on points.

However, the second period presented an entirely different picture. Stepping up a gear the United midfield snuffed out Aberdeen's and with Paul Sturrock playing wide on the left, United emerged the more likely winners. From a break by Jim Mdnally Paul Sturrock fired in a low cross which Eamonn Bannon rammed into the net. Kevin Gallacher went very close to increasing our lead which was only rarely threatened. Brian Grant twice was only fractionally off target before a cross from Porteous was cleared by Maurice Malpas only for the ball to strike Dave Narey and rebound onto the underside of the bar before being scrambled clear. An Aberdeen equaliser would hardly have been deserved after a second half in which we controlled proceedings.