Dundee Football Club Season 1961-1962
Championship season
Game Eight.
Saturday 21st October 1961
Cousin Gets A Late Winner
DUNFERMLINE 1, DUNDEE 2
Unsuccessful in his search for an experienced goal – getting forward, Manager Stein makes only one change in the attack. Dan Smith, 17 – year –old ex – Grangemouth junior, makes his debut in place of Charlie Dickson.
Dunfermline –Athletic --- Connachan, Fraser, Cunningham, Mailer, Williamson,
Miller, McDonald, Peebles, D. Smith, A. Smith, Melrose.
Dundee --- Liney, Hamilton, Cox, Seith Ure, Wishart, Smith, Penman, Cousin,
Gilzean, Robertson.
Referee --- D. Alexander, Edinburgh.
Thrills in the first minute when Melrose sends through a beauty that goes past Ure on the outside. Dan Smith races into the penalty box, but Cox comes to the rescue with a speedy crossfield dash and an effective sliding tackle.
Bobby Wishart raises Dundee’s cheers with a raking shot from 35 yards that flashes past the far post.
Home raids
The eager Fraser comes well up in a home raid, but Alex. Smith scoops over the bar from the right – backs cross. A Melrose header is cleared down to Mailer and his first time effort goes past the post with not very much to spare.
Liney comes well out – almost too far out – to a McDonald cross, but makes a grand one – handed save. In the next minute he makes an easy job of a straight drive by the same player. The home crowd don’t like the way Cox tackles Peebles and Dan Smith, but the referee sees nothing wrong.
Dundee’s most dangerous move comes after eight minutes when Gordon Smith flicks on down the right to Robertson. It’s lucky for Connachan that Miller blocks his shot from 12 yards. It looked a winner all the way.
Perfect pass
Williamson is the life – saver in the next raid when a poor clearance by Miller lets Penman away to give Cousin a perfect pass. Alan’s shot from close in is blocked for a corner.
Liney saves confidently from McDonald and fumbles his next one from Mailer, but recovers in time. At the other end Gilzean scrapes the post with a ground drive, and a minute later has Connachan diving to finger tip a rasping shot round the post.
In 25 minutes MAILER puts Dunfermline ahead from a penalty. Melrose and Peebles are working their way in from the left when Wishart trips up Peebles, obviously unintentionally. But the referee has no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
Fight back
Dundee fight back with real spirit and there’s a near thing when Cousin gets in a header from close range. Connachan just gets to it in time. Gordon Smith is limping badly after a tackle from Williamson. Dundee come close to equalising when Gilzean is clean through in a suspiciously offside position. Connachan hesitates for the whistle then comes out at the last minute to block the shot. At the other end from an indirect free kick just inside the box, Liney dives to make a brilliant save from a Miller shot that is swerving away from him.
Half time --- Dunfermline 1, Dundee 0.
Reflections --- A hard, fast game, with Dunfermline setting the pace for the league leaders. Gordon Smith’s injury has knocked the Dundee attack out of its stride and they are not making much impact on a solid defence.
Second Half
Gordon Smith reappears with his right leg well strapped up above the knee. Dunfermline have a narrow shave after a Seith free drops inside the goal area. Wishart is a bit slow to move on to it and Connachan has time to come out and block the shot. A couple of bad clearances by Cunningham makes things uncomfortable for the home defence, but Williamson and Miller rise to the occasion.
Alex. Smith and Melrose are a bit high with first time shots, and a typical long – range shot by Gilzean is just outside the post. Dundee equalise in 12 minutes with a great goal by COUSIN. The move starts in the Dundee half with a great piece of passing by Cox.
The ball swings out to Cousin via Penman and Connachan can only partly stop Cousin’s terrific drive from a narrow angle.
Dundee blitz
Dundee bonnet’s are up with a vengeance now. Miller steps in at the crucial moment to block a Penman shot and Robertson is right on target from the rebound. A Penman shot is blocked by a wall of defenders and from the rebound Wishart sends one across the goalmouth, but Dunfermline aren’t finished.
McDonald bores his way through on the left, beats two men to lay on a great pass to Peebles. The winger’s shot beats Liney, but Cox is on the line to clear.
Mailer sends Peebles away with a dream pass, but Liney anticipates the winger’s shot from 10 yards and saves in great style.
Dundee take the lead with eight minutes from the end with a surprise goal by COUSIN. A Cox free kick drops into the goalmouth. The centre rises high to it and heads it to the corner of the post and crossbar. It looks like dropping over, then suddenly falls inside the goal.
Final --- Dunfermline 1, Dundee 2.
Summing up --- The pace never let up from start to finish. A real thriller, with both sides having their moments of glory. Weakened by Gordon Smith’s injury, Dundee fought back magnificently against the interval deficit, but Dunfermline made them fight to the final whistle.