Dundee Utd 1
Celtic 0
League (Premier Division)

Match Report

United fans received the best Christmas present of all as Celtic became the second of the title contenders to be vanquished within two days. Once again an Eamonn Bannon goal set us on the winning way and the fact that his penalty conversion was all that separated the sides, was perhaps the only criticism of another fine performance.

A scrappy opening eventually gave way to some end to end stuff, with Celtic perhaps coming closest to scoring. But gradually, United asserted themselves with Ian Redford forcing a fine save from Pat Bonner and then Roy Aitken came to Celtic's rescue when he blocked a Davie Dodds shot. As the pressure mounted, United eventually made the breakthrough. Bonner brilliantly saved a shot by Eamonn Bannon, Redford quickly chipped in the loose ball and Paul Hegarty was pushed in the back by Brian McClair as he went for the cross. Eamonn Bannon hammered the spot kick high into the top right hand corner of the net.

The second half proved equally fast and furious and although Celtic had a couple of chances to equalise, it was United who had the greater share of the chances. Bonner blocked an Ian Redford shot, Ian then just failed to divert the ball home after Bonner failed to cut out a cross from the right, and Ian, again in the thick of the action, headed over. The nearest to a goal came when a run by Eamonn Bannon ended with Bonner touching his vicious shot on to the bar.