Dundee Football Club Season 1961-1962
Championship season
Game One.
Wednesday 23rd August 1961
This was a cakewalk for Dundee
FALKIRK 1, DUNDEE 3
This was Dundee’s easiest win for a long time. From start to finish they were allowed to play as they liked. Their tempo wasn’t particularly fast, but it was much too speedy for the struggling Falkirk side.
Pleasing feature from the Dundee viewpoint was the display of Gordon Smith, back to his gayest. He dashed up the wing in his old style and was always ready to have a go. His early goal gave the side bags of confidence.
Cousin did a power of work, but the other Alan, Gilzean, still doesn’t look 100% fit. Penman was rather subdued, and Robertson was crocked in the first half. The defence, dominated by Ure, had an easy night. Seith and Wishart were able to force the pace most of the time.
Falkirk have many problems. Wyles and Milne were their best performers.
Picture goal
Dundee went ahead in five minutes with a picture goal. The ball went quickly up the right from Wishart to Smith to Penman. Andy slipped it into the middle, Gilzean dummied it and Smith hit a beautiful left foot shot past Whigham.
Falkirk attacks were cumbersome in comparison but they almost got a surprise equaliser when Cox stumbled and let Murray through. The inside right shot straight at Liney. The keeper dropped the ball, but scrambled it away as Lambie rushed in.
In 37 minutes Dundee struck again with another bonnie goal. A Seith pass let Smith away. Cousin bent low to head the winger’s cross well out of Whighams reach.
Dundee eased off until just on half time, Smith nipped in between Rae and McCarry to shoot over the bar.
Ten men
Dundee played the first 10 minutes of the second half without Hugh Robertson. Falkirk restarted with their best move so far. Wyles and Murray split open the Dens defence and Seith was forced to head Murray’s cross for a corner.
But Dundee were in command again with most of the danger coming from the right. The injured Robertson was unable to play full out.
Cousin and Gilzean combined well and a Cousin shot was only inched off the target.
Then Gilzean had a go from 20 yards and he too went very close.
At the other end Liney brought off only his second real save of the night by holding an Ormond shot.
Team switches in the home side was inevitable and Lambie moved to the right wing, with ex-Brechin Wyles to the centre. It made no difference.
Some bounce
Dundee’s third goal came in the 71st minute. Wishart headed a Smith corner down with terrific force. The ball took a big bounce into the corner of the net, with the keeper helpless.
With nine minutes to go Liney was charged over the line by Reid as he clutched a long cross from Lambie.
Despite strong appeals for a goal the referee gave a free kick to Dundee.
In the last seconds of the match Wyles rushed in to shoot past Liney into the net. It was so dark—the floodlights weren’t used—that the keeper probably never saw the ball.
Falkirk: Whigham, Rae, Hunter, McCarry, Milne, McIntosh, Wyles, Murray, Lambie, Reid, Ormond.
Dundee: Liney, Hamilton, Cox, Seith, Ure, Wishart, Smith, Penman, Gilzean, Cousin, Robertson.
Referee: A.McKenzie, Coatbridge.
Attendance 7,000