Dundee United FC

[DavidMc]

Dundee United v Motherwell
Scottish Premier League
Saturday 22nd March 08
Tannadice Stadium, Dundee

Dundee United manager Craig Levein has no fitness or suspension worries as the race intensifies for a Uefa Cup place.

Danny Grainger, Danny Swanson and Jim O'Brien are back in contention after being ineligible for last weekend's CIS Insurance Cup final defeat.

Motherwell captain Paul Quinn is suspended for the trip to Tannadice.

But manager Mark McGhee otherwise has a full squad to choose from as the visitors look to arrest a run of four matches without a win.

[DavidMc]

Dundee United 2-0 Motherwell

Danny Swanson scored within a minute of coming on as a substitute as Dundee United moved into third in the Scottish Premier League by beating Motherwell.

The midfielder, signed in January from Berwick Rangers, jinked between two defenders before stroking the ball home off the far post from 15 yards.

Until that 76th-minute spark of class, the game looked to be petering out into a lacklustre draw.

But Mark De Vries broke clear to add a second with two minutes remaining.

The two sides had started equal on points, one behind Hibernian.

Jim O'Brien returned to the United midfield, replacing Prince Buaben, after being cup-tied for last weekend's CIS Insurance Cup final defeat.

Keith Lasley came in for Steven McGarry in a Motherwell side playing their first game in 10 days.

United had this week named a stand after chairman Eddie Thompson, while the match was played with ball's paying tribute to Phil O'Donnell, the Motherwell midfielder who died the last time the two sides had met.

But it was not a match fit to commemorate the two men high in the affections of their respective clubs.

Close-range efforts from De Vries and Well's Bob Malcolm failed to trouble either goalkeeper.

And Motherwell boss Mark McGhee made an early substitution by withdrawing left-back Steven Hammell and replacing him with midfielder Simon Lappin.

But it was United who had the better chances of a scrappy first half.

Noel Hunt beat Smith to a Christian Kalvenes cross, but the striker's header struck Steve Craigan's head and flew well over the bar for a corner.

Motherwell's Ross McCormack lacked composure and accuracy as he sent a snap shot from the edge of the box high into the crowd as the first half drew to a disappointing end.

United were the more dangerous as the second half began, Gary Kenneth being the one to beat Smith to a Kalvenes cross only to head wide from 10 yards.

A De Vries shot squirmed wide from the edge of the box.

Zaluska did well to clear on the edge of his box after McCormack beat United's offside trap by slipping the ball through to strike partner Chris Porter.

And a Craigen header powered just wide from a McCormack corner as Well began to become more of a threat.

But, moments after replacing O'Brien, Swanson produced the one piece of quality that deserved to win the game.

Hunt squandered a chance to make it 2-0, driving the ball wide after being set up by cleverly Swanson.

But De Vries made no mistake when he broke clear with two minutes left, rounding Smith before slotting home with the outside of his boot.



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Dundee Utd: Zaluska, Kovacevic, Wilkie (Grainger 71), Kenneth, Kalvenes, Flood, Kerr, Gomis, O'Brien (Swanson 75), Hunt, De Vries.
Subs Not Used: McLean, Dillon, Daly, Conway, Odhiambo.

Goals: Swanson 76, De Vries 89.

Motherwell: Graeme Smith, Malcolm, Craigan, Reynolds, Hammell (Lappin 27), Fitzpatrick, Hughes, Lasley (McGarry 56), McCormack, Porter, Clarkson, McGarry (Murphy 83).
Subs Not Used: Daniels, Brian McLean, Darren Smith, Archdeacon.

Booked: Porter, Lappin, Craigan, McCormack, Clarkson.

Att: 6,779

[DavidMc]

Dundee United looking very good at the moment. The signing of Mark de Vries has been good for the club. He scored a good goal yesterday.

They were unlucky against us at Hampden. Hopefully they can continue to get stronger. It is good for the SPL to have a team like Dundee United challenging for Europe.

[DavidMc]

Dundee United v Rangers
Scottish Premier League
Sunday 6th April 08
Tannadice Stadium, Dundee

Dundee United have a major doubt over defender Lee Wilkie who has not trained all week because of a dead leg.

Danny Swanson and Garry Kenneth are suspended after picking up red cards against Hearts last weekend so Darren Dods and Jim O'Brien return.

Rangers striker Daniel Cousin will see a specialist at the weekend hoping for the green light to face United.

Cousin is close to a return following a broken jaw but Charlie Adam is out for several weeks with a knee injury.



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Dundee United: (from) Zaluska, Dillon, Dods, Grainger, Wilkie, Kalvenes, Conway, Kerr, Flood, Gomis, Buaben, Hunt, De Vries, O'Brien, Odhiambo, Daly, Robertson, Kovacevic, McLean.

Rangers: (from) McGregor, Broadfoot, Papac, Weir, Cuellar, Ferguson, Thomson, Davis, Darcheville, McCulloch, Novo, Boyd, Naismith, Dailly, Whittaker, Furman, Alexander, Cousin.

[DavidMc]

Dundee United 1-1 Hibernian
Scottish Premier League
Sunday 20th April 08
Tannadice Stadium, Dundee

Dundee United and Hibernian settled for a share of the points in an exciting encounter at Tannadice in the SPL.

Dean Shiels opened the scoring for Hibs with a fine solo effort in the 57th minute after rounding Lukasz Zaluska.

Three minutes later, the balance was restored when Noel Hunt converted from the spot after Mark de Vries was felled by Thierry Gathuessi in the Hibs box.

Despite some end-to-end stuff in the dying minutes, neither side could find a winner to push them up the table.

Craig Levein picked the same team that drew with Rangers two weeks ago, with Darren Dods recovering from a foot injury to take his place in the United side.

Hibs were missing injured centre-back Chris Hogg with Guillaume Beuzelin taking his place.

After a pacy start, both sides settled in and Hunt almost opened the scoring in the ninth minute with a looping header from the edge of the penalty area, but Andrew McNeil got a finger to it and tipped over.

Hibs replied quickly at the other end with a flurry of corners, but failed to take advantage of the early pressure.

With 15 minutes played, Martin Canning leapt above United's defence to send in a close-range header, but watched his effort sail over.

Five minutes later, Hibs' Steven Fletcher seemed certain to head for goal after he broke free on the left-hand side, but Sean Dillon was on hand to block.

De Vries posed a constant a threat on the Hibernian goal in the early stages, but despite a slew of solid efforts, he was unable to break the deadlock.

With 30 minutes on the clock, Merouane Zemmama drifted wide on a mazy run but ran out of steam at the edge of the United penalty area.

10 minutes from half-time, United's Willo Flood tested McNeil with a right-footed drive from long-range, but the former Southampton keeper pulled off another fine save to tip the ball over the bar.

As the half-time whistle approached, both sides continued to push for an opener, and Hunt came close with a curling free-kick in the 42nd minute, but it remained goalless at the interval.

Shortly after the break, Hibs found themselves pinned back as United enjoyed a spell of early pressure, but with few gaps at the back in either half, it looked like being a long afternoon.

In the 55th minute, Fletcher sent a high switched ball across to Zemmama on the right, but the Moroccan midfielder ballooned his shot wide.

Two minutes later, the stalemate was broken when Sheils broke free on the counter-attack and outran the Hibs defence to round Zaluska and confidently bury the ball in the back of the net.

Undeterred, United pressed for an equaliser and their efforts were rewarded almost immediately.

Referee Eddie Smith pointed to the spot when De Vries was naively manhandled by Gathuessi inside the Hibs penalty area and Noel Hunt stepped up to convert the kick.

Fletcher tried an ambitious overhead kick in the 64th minute, but McNeil was never in doubt in the Hibs goal and smothered comfortably.

With goals on the scoresheet, the match soon picked up pace and both sides looked keen to secure a winner.

Fletcher could have nabbed it for Hibs in the 74th minute when he broke free and went one-on-one with Zaluska, but was thwarted by a fumbled save with the final ball.

United responded quickly through Daniel Grainger, who came similarly unstuck inside the Hibs penalty area with a shot aimed straight at McNeill.

Dodds was lucky to escape a red card when he deliberately felled Fletcher on the edge of the penalty area with eight minutes left on the clock, and Zemmama's resulting free-kick shaved the United post.

A late spark of action from United in injury-time looked promising,with Grainger sending in a tantilising free-kick that narrowly drifted wide of Zaluska's left-hand post.

The draw now leaves both sides in the same league positions they were before the match, with Motherwell benefiting from the stalemate.

[DavidMc]

Motherwell 2-2 Dundee United
Scottish Premier League
Saturday 25th April 08
Fir Park, Motherwell

Lee Wilkie's late header secured a draw for Dundee United as Motherwell closed in on third place in the SPL and a Uefa Cup place for next season.

Chris Porter headed the opener in 16 minutes from David Clarkson's flick on.

The visitors got a deserved equaliser when Stephen Craigan headed past his own keeper Graeme Smith.

Porter headed his and Well's second five minutes after the break. But United equalised again when Wilkie seized on poor defending to score.

Motherwell pair David Clarkson and Bob Malcolm returned from suspension, with Brian McLean and Marc Fitzpatrick dropping to the bench.

Victory for Well would move them four points clear of United in third place, the division's only guaranteed UEFA Cup spot.

Dundee United striker Jon Daly made his first start since November as he replaced Mark de Vries.

Danny Grainger came in at left-back for the injured Christian Kalvenes.

Flood almost broke the deadlock in the third minute when his rasping 20-yard drive was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Graeme Smith.

The midfielder was proving a thorn in Motherwell's side and again went close five minutes later when his shot was blocked on the edge of the box.

Flood blazed over in the 16th minute and Motherwell made United pay for their profligacy when they took the lead moments later.


Stephen Craigan headed into his own net to gift United an equaliser


Stephen Hughes' cross was flicked on by Clarkson and Porter headed home from close range, with United claiming in vain for offside.

Motherwell went close to doubling their lead 10 minutes before half-time when Bob Malcolm's free-kick slid just wide of Smith's right-hand post.

United got a deserved equaliser when Gomis' deep cross was headed back across goal by Noel Hunt, and Craigan's attempted headed clearance looped into his own net.

Porter put Motherwell back in front five minutes after the break when he rose unchallenged to head home Ross McCormack's free-kick.

The home side were warming to the task and began to dominate the midfield.

Both sides had half-chances to score, before Wilkie got United's second equaliser when he headed home with four minutes remaining to ensure a share of the spoils.




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Motherwell: Graeme Smith, Quinn, Craigan, Reynolds, Hammell, Clarkson, Hughes, Malcolm, Lappin, Porter, McCormack. Subs: Daniels, Brian McLean, Lasley, Fitzpatrick, McGarry, Darren Smith, Murphy.

Dundee Utd: Zaluska, Dillon, Wilkie, Dods, Grainger, Robertson, Gomis, Flood, Kerr, Daly, Hunt. Subs: McLean, O'Brien, Conway, Kenneth, De Vries, Kovacevic, McCord.

[DavidMc]

Aberdeen v Dundee United
Scottish Premier League
Saturday 3rd May 08
Pittodrie Stadium

Forward Darren Mackie and defender Alan Maybury are the latest Aberdeen players to be ruled out of Saturday's game against Dundee United through injury.

Maybury, who has suspected broken ribs, joined Richie Byrne, Lee Mair and Jamie Smith on the long-term absence list, while Zander Diamond is suspended.

Dundee United midfielder Danny Swanson is available again for selection after his three-game ban.

And winger Willo Flood has recovered from a thigh injury.



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Aberdeen (from): Langfield, Considine, Bus, Touzani, Foster, Walker, Severin, Duff, De Visscher, Young, Lovell, Miller, Maguire, Aluko, Jonathan Smith, Pawlett, Jack, Soutar.

Dundee United (from): Zaluska, Dillon, Dods, Kenneth, Grainger, Wilkie, Kalvenes, Conway, Swanson, Kerr, Flood, Robb, Gomis, Buaben, Hunt, De Vries, O'Brien, Odhiambo, Daly, Robertson, Kovacevic, McLean.

[DavidMc]

Rangers 3-1 Dundee United
Scottish Premier League
Saturday 10th May 08
Ibrox Stadium

Rangers moved to within a point of league leaders Celtic with a game in hand following a controversial victory over Dundee United.

Nacho Novo calmed early Rangers nerves in the seventh minute when he headed home Kevin Thomson's free-kick.

The Spaniard doubled Rangers' lead soon after with a superb volley.

United had a goal wrongly chalked-off for offside and were denied a penalty before Mark De Vries pulled on back. Jean-Claude Darcheville sealed the win.

Rangers knew victory at Ibrox would put them to within one point of league leaders Celtic, while United still had designs on finishing third and clinching a Uefa Cup spot.

Noel Hunt spurned a great chance after five minutes when he headed wide from Michael Kovacevic's cross.
Novo punished United moments later when he headed home Thomson's free-kick with the visitors' defence posted missing.

The Spaniard doubled Rangers' lead after 17 minutes when Cousin knocked on Alexander's punt and Novo outpaced Kovacevic to volley into the far corner.

Kirk Broadfoot wasted a chance to put the hosts three up within half an hour when he danced through the yawning gap in United's defence, but his shot was blocked by Lukasz Zaluska.

In a rare foray forward for United, Robertson saw his goalbound shot headed clear by Broadfoot after goalkeeper Neil Alexander raced out of his area to block Hunt.

De Vries saw his shot from the edge of the box saved by Alexander on the stroke of half-time.

United were denied what appeared a stonewall penalty when Hunt looked to have been clipped by Davie Weir, but referee Mike McCurry waved away the appeals.

Novo spurned a great chance to complete his hat-trick in the 62nd minute when his low shot beat Zaluska but slid past the post.

Dailly struck the post with a shot on the turn in the 65th minute after United failed to clear Novo's corner.

United had a legitimate goal chalked off when Swanson's shot deflected off Weir and the linesman inexplicably flagged for offside.

De Vries brought United back into it with a bullet header that flashed past Alexander from Gomis' deep cross with 14 minutes remaining.

Substitute Darcheville sealed the victory for Rangers in injury-time when he swept home Barry Ferguson's cross.



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Rangers: Alexander, Whittaker, Broadfoot, Cuellar, Weir, Papac, Ferguson, Thomson (Furman 52), Dailly, Novo, Cousin (Darcheville 85). Subs Not Used: Graeme Smith, Boyd, Beasley, Lennon, McMillan.

Booked: Cousin.

Goals: Novo 7, 18, Darcheville 90.

Dundee Utd: Zaluska, Wilkie, Grainger, Kovacevic (O'Brien 90), Dods, Flood (Swanson 66), Kerr, Gomis (Robb 85), Hunt, Robertson, De Vries. Subs Not Used: Camara, Dillon, Daly, Smith.

Booked: Flood, Wilkie, De Vries.

Goals: De Vries 76.