Dundee United gained only their second home League victory of the season - and
Aberdeen were the victims yet again.
The Tannadice men turned it on again against their rivals and the home debuts
of Dave Hannah and on-loan Coventry midfielder John Eustace played a major part
in their much-improved performance.
All the midweek talk of mergers was forgotten when the home side swept away
their relegation rivals with ex-Aberdeen winger Joe Miller and Kjell Olofsson
outstanding up front.
The Dons have a dreadful recent record of only one win in their last 10 visits
to Tannadice and, apart from Dennis Wyness forcing a wonderful save from Sieb
Dykstra, they rarely troubled the home rearguard.
It took United 11 minutes to threaten but Eustace almost made it a dream start
when he volleyed just past the post from 20 yards after Olofsson and Billy Dodds
had set him up.
Uncharacteristically, Dodds missed a great chance after an Olofsson throw-in
found him in a suspiciously offside position but he allowed Jim Leighton to save
at his feet.
Hannah took only 17 minutes to make his presence felt but unfortunately it was
with a booking for persistent fouling.
United thought they had taken the lead in the 21st minute when Dodds
challenged Leighton and the ball broke for Jason De Vos who shot into the net
but although the referee pointed to the halfway line a flag from his assistant
made him change his mind.
United were again unlucky when Dodds broke down the right and his cross
appeared to hit Derek Whyte on the hand but the referee turned down penalty
claims.
The home side deservedly went ahead in the 34th minute when Miller swung in a
corner and De Vos headed goalwards but Olofsson nodded in from close range.
The visitors hit back almost immediately and it needed fine save by Dykstra
when he stopped a Wyness 16-yarder.
A minute later a 20-yard angled drive from the same player had goal written
all over it until the big Dutchman finger-tipped the ball over the bar in
spectacular fashion.
Five minutes from the interval another Dodds cross was volleyed inches over
the bar by the in-rushing Olofsson and United had to be content with their
single goal lead at the interval.
Three minutes after the break however, another corner from Miller found Dodds
unmarked at the far post and the little striker powered in his 10th goal of his
United career from close range.
Under pressure from Leighton, Dodds shot just over the bar as the home side
took almost total control and Aberdeen's frustration was shown when Wyness was
yellow carded for a foul on Erik Pedersen.
The game was over in the 66th minute when a superb move involving Dodds and
Olofsson ended with the Swede cutting the ball back for Hannah to side-foot the
ball into the corner of Leighton's net from 12 yards.
Teams
Dundee Utd (1) 3 Aberdeen (0) 0
Dundee Utd: Dykstra, Malpas, Pedersen (Patterson 72), Olofsson,
Hannah, Easton, Dodds, Miller (McLaren 81), Duffy, De Vos,Eustace (Jonsson 79).
Subs Not Used: Mathie, Gallacher.
Booked: Hannah.
Goals: Olofsson 34, Dodds 48, Hannah 66.
Aberdeen: Leighton, Perry, Whyte, Inglis (Buchan 54), Smith,
Jess, Newell, Mayer (Notman 81), Kiriakov, Young, Wyness.
Subs Not Used: Pepper, Dow, Stillie.
Booked: Wyness.
Att: 8,309
Ref: J McCluskey (Stewarton).
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