Dundee Football Club Season 1961-1962
Championship season
Game Seven.
Saturday 14th October 1961
Dundee Victory Had Everything
MOTHERWELL 2, DUNDEE 4
The sun shines on a trim Fir Park for the Motherwell – Dundee game. At least one point is necessary for unchanged Dundee if they are to remain top of the league. Martis comes back at centre half for Motherwell, who have won only three home games in seven.
Motherwell – H. Weir, McSeveney, Thomson, Aitken, Martis, McCann, Lindsay,
Quinn, Roberts, Hunter, Stevenson.
Dundee --- Liney, Hamilton, Cox, Seith Ure, Wishart, Smith, Penman, Cousin,
Gilzean, Robertson.
Referee --- J.W. Paterson, Linlithgow.
A sensational opening! Dundee score from a penalty in the first minute. It starts with a long ball up the middle from Wishart. It’s a race between Cousin and Weir, and they meet at the edge of the box and the keeper boots frantically clear.
Penman, following up, lofts the ball over the keeper’s head. It’s all the way for goal when Thomson tries to palm it down. PENMAN hits the spot kick into the roof of the net.
Hectic time
Motherwell come storming in for revenge. There are some hectic minutes around Liney’s charge. A terrific 18 – yarder by Quinn is diverted over the bar from Ure’s fair head. The pressure is severe and there’s no nonsense about the quick – tackling Dundee defence.
Lindsay squeezes in a good drive which Liney boots down at the post. A great chance goes west when Lindsay jumps to a Quinn cross five yards out and misses his header completely. The sun is warm, but the pace is sizzling. The Dundee forwards are hardly getting a look in, but the defence is doing heroics. The crowd gives a cheer when Alex. Hamilton gets time to invade the ‘Well half of the field and brings Weir full – length to a powerful left foot drive.
Bonnie Football
The Dark Blues are beginning to settle as Motherwell pause for breath. They turn on a brand of football bonnie enough to earn a round of Motherwell applause.
In 20 minutes the right wing trio split the ‘Well defence wide open. What a pity Cousin’s final effort from a glorious Penman cross is inches on the wrong side of the post. But Motherwell have polish too. In the 25th minute it dazzles Dundee. A free awarded against Ure for elbows is taken by Quinn 25 yards out. He flicks it to Roberts, on it goes to HUNTER, and the next second it has streaked its way from the inside left past Liney and into the roof of the net. Not a defender touches it.
Gilzean has a grand chance to restore the lead when Cousin sends him through on his own, but he hits the side of the net.
A simple goal in 28 minutes puts Dundee back in the lead and leaves the ‘Well crowd speechless. From a throw in on the right Robertson gathers and flicks along the carpet to COUSIN. All Alan does is give the ball a gentle touch and it trundles past the scrambling keeper.
Clean Through
Cousin gets clean through on the heels of a Wishart down the middle pass, but makes a hash of his 16 yard try. Roberts, in the same position at the other end, is also wide. A Gilzean header is blocked right on the line by Thomson with Weir nowhere.
It’s ding dong now, with Dundee doing most of the dictating. Another penalty for Dundee in 43 minutes when Weir pulls Cousin down in the box. Penman takes the kick again. It’s too casual and Weir gets his finger tips to it and saves.
Half time --- Motherwell 1, Dundee 2.
Reflections --- A first – class game to watch. Plenty of classy football. A terrific pace and bags of goalmouth incidents. Dundee did well to stand the terrific onslaught for the first 20 minutes, then came out on top. It was good to hear the sporting crowd cheer their many fine touches.
Second half
The nippy ‘Well forwards come tearing through half a dozen times in the reopening minutes. Once or twice they are a bit unlucky as the ball breaks awkwardly.
When Dundee get going Cousin rounds a couple of defenders only to sky the ball well over. Cox saves a cert, at the other end by whipping the ball of Stevenson’s toe and Liney plucks a Quinn lob from a mass of opponent’s heads.
Hectic moments for Dundee! Quinn touches a free in front of McCann, who crashes it against the bar from 25 yards.
Next instant Liney saves a Quinn whizz- bang brilliantly at full stretch. Motherwell are after that equaliser with all they can put to it.
The Dark Blues get to grips with the home defence once or twice, but the scoring openings are less plentiful. A likely Smith effort cannons against a defender.
In 70 minutes the Motherwell pressure pays off. ROBERTS finishes off a lovely inter – passing move by shooting home from 15 yards.
Back in the Lead
The cheers haven’t died when Dundee are back in the lead. Cousin, who has been lurking about on the right wing most of the day, comes racing in with the ball. He steers it through the defenders to SMITH, who hammers it home in 71 minutes.
The excitement continues as Roberts heads over in a melee at the other end.
Gilzean has a great 30 – yarder which Weir just manages to hold at the junction of the upright and crossbar. The keeper boots it away and back it comes to GILZEAN. From almost the same position, he tries again, a bit lower this time. There’s consternation in the terracing as the ball hits the keeper’s arms as it drops and spins high into the net – a soft one. Time --- 76 minutes.
The final stages offered Dundee several chances of going nap but there were no takers.
Final --- Motherwell 2, Dundee 4.
Summing up --- Two golden points for Dundee and they were well earned. For 20 minutes in each half they stood up to the fury of the all – out ‘Well attack and came striding back in a manner which never left the issue in doubt. The midline was immense and the other departments played with skill and dash. Motherwell will have to find a marksman.