thanks again to wildebeast
Dundee Football Club Season 1961-1962
Championship season
Game Nine.
Saturday 28th October 1961
Dundee’s Grand–Stand Finish
DUNDEE 3, PARTICK THISTLE 2.
The crowd is slow in turning up at Dens Park for what should be today’s most important league match. The league leaders, Dundee, have six wins in a row and Partick Thistle have had four wins and a draw in the last five games.
The visitors are unchanged, but Dundee have one change – McGeachie for Smith, who is still suffering from his pulled – muscle injury.
Dundee --- Liney, Hamilton, Cox, Seith Ure, Wishart, McGeachie, Penman, Cousin,
Gilzean, Robertson.
Partick Thistle --- Gray, Hogan, Brown, Cunningham, McKinnon, Donlevy,
Williamson, McBride, Smith, Duffy, McParland.
Referee --- J Mackie, East Kilbride.
Dundee sweep down on the green-jerseyed Gray from the kick-off. The wing halves put George McGeachie away down the right, but McKinnon breaks up the attack. The Jags have the first and second shots at goal. Danger man McParland’s shot goes wide and then Duffy shoots high.
McGeachie is in action again. He slings over a good cross, a defender misses, but the well placed Penman is too deliberate. He shoots hard, but Gray isn’t troubled in saving.
Under Pressure
McParland jinks around Hamilton, side steps Ure and cross passes to his inside man, Duffy first times the ball, but again it goes over the bar. Dundee’s defence is under pressure, Cox clears off the line from Brown with Liney beaten, McBride shoots high.
It’s cut and thrust, Thistle are setting a cracking pace, but their ball control is lax. Smith almost scores when Liney needs a second chance to save his shot. Seconds later McPARLAND puts Thistle ahead in the 10th minute. It comes from a low shot to the corner of the net which Pat Liney seems to misjudge. He’s down on one knee as if expecting the shot to go wide.
The Dark Blues defence isn’t too happy. McParland has the beating of Hamilton and Ure is not too sure with Smith. Dundee miss a couple of scoring chances, and then, in the 14th minute, when Gilzean scores, the goal is lopped off because Penman is offside.
Great run
Gilzean then has a tremendous run. His shot looks like reaching the goal when Gray gets a hand to it and puts the ball into the side rigging. It’s jammy Thistle now. McGeachie is a crackerjack on the right wing. Gilzean has a back heeler blocked in the goalmouth and then Gray saves from him.
Dundee are forcing the pace now, Wishart and Seith making wise use of the ball. Gilzean puts Cousin away on his own. Lanky Alan gets into top gear. The advancing Gray gets a hand to his shot and pushes it over the bar. Hammy is really having a day off. He jabs a pass back right to Smith’s foot. Fortunately, danger is averted bef6re the surprised centre can recover.
The 16,000 fans are getting value for money. McParland, danger with a capital D, beats four Dundee defenders. He looks like scoring, but he slips at the last moment and his tame shot is collected by Liney.
Equaliser
Dundee deservedly equalise in 30 minutes, Wishart, who is having a grand game, finds COUSIN with a long ball. Alan judges the ball – there are no blues up to help out – heads over Hogan’s head, nips round to collect the ball and fires it past Gray.
Thistle’s stonewall defence shows signs of sagging under the intensifying home pressure. The Dark blues have got the measure of the Jags.
Half time --- Dundee 1, Partick Thistle 1.
Reflections --- A great game, well worthy of the top of the first division. It’s being played at a cracking, never–let-up pace, and a draw is a fair score. Dundee settled down after that early upset and pressure, and with luck could have been ahead. Gray saved several "certs." But what a great player McParland is!
Second Half
The first half’s cracking pace is missing, but Dundee are on top. Wishart bangs a shot high over the bar. The play is scrappy and lacks incident. Thistle perk up. Smith beats Ure and Cox, but Bobby Wishart runs over to dispossess the centre.
Tragedy for Thistle in the 58th minute. McParland, who has been playing magnificently for weeks hampered by a shin injury, is assisted by the trainer to the touchline. The winger is crippling badly too.
Dundee are piling on the pressure, but they can’t translate it into goals. Gilzean has the goal at his mercy, but his shot goes straight to Gray. Thistle are packing their goal and the Dundee forwards are not using the ball to the best advantage, McParland is back after his treatment.
A Penalty
Wishart, now the best player on the field, is the man responsible for Dundee’s second goal. Disgusted by his forwards apparent ineptness, he works his way into the Thistle penalty area. Just as he is about to shoot for goal, McBride nudges him in the back. Mr. Mackie points to the spot. PENMAN coolly sinks the spot kick. Time --- 68 minutes.
Thistle are a stubborn side and are not throwing in the sponge. But Dundee are in command territorially, Robertson shoots over and then Cousin has a go at goal.
Equaliser
Williamson comes into the game. He beats Seith and Cox, but the ball is cleared. Down come the Jags in attack. McParland is boring down on goal, with eight minutes to go, when he is brought down. He tries to reach the penalty area, but the referee gives a "free" just on the borderline. Smith takes it and CUNNINGHAM is there to head in the equaliser.
Two minutes to go and its up with the Dundee bonnets. COUSIN scores a bueatiful goal from just outside the penalty box.
Final --- Dundee 3, Partick Thistle 2.
Summing up --- What a grandstand finish! After a second half in which play never reached the heights it attained before the interval, Thistle snatched the equaliser only for Dundee to score the winner minutes from time. Dundee deserved the points, but they got them the hard way and lady luck was with them.
It was a keen, hard fought game, fought out by two evenly balanced teams. Dundee’s forwards, however, will have to make more of the opportunities made for them by their wing halves.
Wishart, the man of the match, and Seith were Dundee’s best. Thistle were well served by an often brilliant McParland, Gray and Smith.
Attendance --- 16,000