Dens Park is the arena for the Under-21’s derby between Dundee and Dundee United with a 7.00 p.m. kick off tonight.
The teams line up as follows:
DUNDEE: Langfield; Narey, Watson, Lee Mair and Brash; Jablonski, Beith and Mark Robertson; Robb, Stevie Milne and McLean. Subs: Vanderdeyl, Linn, Youngson and Steven.
DUNDEE UNITED: Jarvie, Allum, Jim McIntyre, Anderson and Gartland; Steve Carson, Jim Lauchlan and Arnar Gunnlauesson; Winters, Jim Hamilton and Waddell. Subs: Alan Coombe, Daniel Ogunmade, Stephen McGowan and Callaghan.
REFEREE: Jim Boyd.
Both teams set out their stall right away and it seems obvious it is to be non stop attack in the wee derby.
Milne and Robb combine brilliantly to set up a chance for the latter but his attempted chip shot is saved easily by Paul Jarive in United’s goal.
In the 10th minute Jim Hamilton looks certain to score for United when he outjumps the Dundee defence at a corner but Jamie Langfield makes a breathtaking save to tip the ball round the post. A minute later the same player is allowed to go on whilst Dundee defenders stand appealing for offsides. Once again Jamie Langfield makes a superb save from Hamilton.
Both teams were playing neat football but the much younger Dundee side were showing extra battling qualities and seemed to have that little extra in the effort department. It paid off for them in the 15th minute.
|
After good leading up work Steven Robb finds STEVEN MILNE in space. He’d timed his run to perfection and when the chance came he lashed it low and hard past Jarvie for a great opening goal.
6 minutes later STEVIE MILNE, playing like a born again striker, shows that amazing pace once again, outstripping the United defence and timing his run to beat the offsides trap. Jarvie makes a brilliant save but Stevie follows up to go round him before lashing the ball into the empty net from a yard out.
Paul Allum is given a yellow card for a blatant foul on Milne as he looked set to race in on goal once again.
Half an hour on the clock and Neil Jablonski, the young Glenrothers midfielder, blasts a shot at goal, only for a defender to deflect the ball out for a corner.
7 minutes before half time Dundee go 3-0 up and it’s Stevie Milne who gets his head to power the ball against the bar but the ball breaks kindly for Dundee and NEIL JABLONSKI is on the spot to tap home.
David Winters gets a chance to pull one back before half time when he beats the offsides trap and races in on Langfield. He looks certain to score but instead of blasting the ball home he tries to chip the keeper and fluffs his shot past the post.
Just on half time Kris Brash makes a brilliant run from deep in his own half, beating several players in the process, but he is finally halted inside United’s half.
Summing up, perhaps 3-0 flattered Dundee, but the difference between the teams was that Dundee took their chances whilst United missed theirs, and found Langfield in inspired form. That, and the fact that the dark blues were winning most of the 50-50 balls and seemed to have more zing in their play.
The second half sees a transformed display by United. They begin to control the game for long spells and take the ball to Dundee but they find the defence, led by a superlative performance by Lee Mair, clearing everything that came their way.
But Dundee are hitting well on the break and in the 54th minute Stevie Milne beats a defender only to shoot past with his hat trick beckoning.
One of the main reasons United were looking better was the introduction at half time of Danny Ogunmade, lightning fast on the left flank. He began to give Steven Narey all sorts of problems with his pace and ball control.
United hit the bar with half an hour to go, then Ogunmade forces Langfield into another fine save. A minute later the Dundee goalie again comes to their rescue and United are pushing everything into getting a goal back.
When they do in the 70th minute it is JIM HAMILTON who fires home a neat cut back from Gunnlausson.
From the Dundee point of view, with 20 minutes to go and players looking very tired and jaded, it was still felt that United, with a much more experienced team on, were more than capable of going on to score more goals.
But the kids raised it again, upped a gear and began to play more like they had in the first half.
14 minutes to go Steven Robb goes on a mazy run and shoots just over. A minute later Duncan McLean shoots wildly over when a goal looked likely.
Alan Youngson, a young Aberdonian, replaces Neil Jablonski and soon after a great run by Stevie Milne, an excellent low cross, touched on by McLean to Robb who fires high over.
5 minutes to go and more Robb magic ends with Dundee winning a corner but he is subbed at that stage and replaced by Bobby Linn.
United push right to the end but there is no more scoring.
Summing up, despite a vast improvement by United in the second half, the Dundee kids deserved their win. They fell out of the game and had a bad 20 minutes in the second half but to their credit they came back again and finished the stronger side and could, in fact, have added two or three more to the tally. With 7 local kids in this Dundee team the future looks bright, the future is dark blue.
FORM RATING: JAMIE LANGFIELD: Magnificent tonight. A string of great saves, if he made a mistake tonight it must have been when I blinked. BACK 4: STEVEN NAREY: Was playing quite well until United introduced Ogunmade in the second half. Then he found it very tough but to his credit the 18 year old stuck to his task and showed great character. LEE MAIR: Held his defence together well, playing in a more accustomed central defensive role. He was superb in the air, good on the ground and ensured United got few easy chances. STEVEN WATSON: Partnered Mair to perfection, made few mistakes in the box and looked fired up as the entire team did tonight. KRISTOFER BRASH: I’ve seen him have better games, but Brasher’s no bottler and gave his all for the cause tonight and gained pass marks. Exciting going forward, he’s got plenty of skill and flair. MIDFIELD: NEIL JABLONSKI: On the spot to notch Dundee’s 3rd goal, Neil’s a player I admire for his flair and excellent control and touch on the ball. He was behind most of Dundee’s moves from midfield and had an excellent game. GAVIN BEITH: Began badly, got better and better as the game went on and ended up one of the best players on the park. Passes a mean ball and gets into good positions to receive a pass. MARK ROBERTSON: Just back from injury Mark looks like he needs a few games to get his sharpness back but definitely played well enough tonight He more than matched the more experienced midfield United had facing him. ATTACK: STEVEN ROBB: Played a kind of roving role, one minute on the right of the attack, Novo style, the next popping up on the left. A great ball player he runs past players as if they’re non existent and gets into scoring positions whenever he can. Linked up superbly with Stevie Milne. STEVIE MILNE: What a performance, two goals, one that came off the post for our third, came close with another. Ripped United’s defence apart time after time with lightning bursts into the box. It shows what competition there is for first team places when a guy playing like this can’t get a starting position. DUNCAN MCLEAN: What a gutsy performance. He was given the role of chasing and harrying every ball played up front, harrassing defenders into mistakes. His unselfish running helped create the chances for those such as Milne. SUBS: ALAN YOUNGSON: Went on at a time when our midfield were being overrun and our defence looked at their shakiest. He’s a good player and he added fresh legs to the fray just when we were tiring. BOBBY LINN: Only on for the last 5 minutes, but this kid, just turned 17, is one for the future. Has an insatiable appetite for the game and is a terrier for any opposing defender to face with his non stop running.