Dundee Utd 3 Hibernian 1

October 13th 2001
Scottish Premier League
Attendance:

Scorers:
Hibernian: Brebner.

Dundee Utd: Hamilton(2), Griffin.

This is a copy of a report of the game as it appeared in the Scotland on Sunday on Sunday 14th October 2001

Tangerine fight bears fruit

MAYBE Dundee United should give up six goals to the Old Firm more often. Since suffering a royal spanking at Rangers’ hands a month ago, Alex Smith’s side have embarked on a renaissance tour, Tannadice yesterday celebrating a fourth win on the trot for the Terrors as the hosts came from behind with a terrific second-half recovery which left Hibernian stunned and remorseful.

In control for the first half, Alex McLeish’s men sought to sit back on their lead and duly came off second best, deservedly punished for their lack of ambition as United rallied impressively. A change in fortune from last term, when the Edinburgh side finished on top in all three encounters between the sides.

Less than four minutes had ambled past under the Tayside sunshine before the Easter Road outfit signalled an intent to maintain such hegemony.

Little credit was left with United’s defence for their part in the opener, Charlie Miller needlessly losing possession under the scrutiny of Craig Brewster, who took full advantage.

The former Tannadice favourite, still fondly remembered in these parts for his decisive role in the Scottish Cup-winning side of 1994, fed Paco Luna who forwarded onward to John O’Neil. He expertly killed the pass and sidefooted into the path of Grant Brebner, who was left wholly unattended to blast to Paul Gallagher’s left from 10 yards.

Hibs have been unsteady on their travels of late but with such an early confidence booster, they gamely attempted to soak up United’s pressure while breaking, intermittingly, on the counter.

The hosts quickly strode upfield where Nick Colgan had displaced Tony Caig in the visitors’ goal. Yet the Irishman was nearly forced out before his return to the side could gather some steam. Rising to compete for a menacing Jim Hamilton cross, he collided ferociously with the challenging Miller, and both were felled in a heap for several moments.

Colgan re-emerged from a sea of fluorescent-clad attendants with his forehead now obscured by a pristine protective dressing. Miller was not so unscathed, hobbling on momentarily before his inevitable replacement by David Hannah. Shorn of their dynamic tyro, the hosts commendably sought other routes to erase the deficit but were initially still too complacent in possession.

Luna’s lightly-struck attempt was cleared off the line by Jamie McCunnie and the Spaniard was again allowed to test his markers, subsequently finding the fit-again Franck Sauzee who failed to find the target.

In incremental stages, Smith’s men chased salvation and on the half-hour mark, they were oh-so-close to an equaliser. Jim McIntyre squared to Hamilton whose speculative shot, snapped from just outside the box, required a magnificent finger-tip response from Colgan to repel the threat. Buoyed, Danny Griffin launched the resulting corner to the almost identical spot where Hannah was the executioner-in-waiting, firing with some venom from long range into the path of Sauzee who forcefully averted the shot. This time Colgan collided with Brebner but the keeper slowly recuperated to pre-empt a series of offensive swarms in green-and-white colours as the injury time approached.

Under pressure, United did themselves no favours as Leith’s finest continued to test their hosts’ obduracy. O’Neil underlined the point, tormenting Jamie McCunnie with a twisting dribble, skipping past the United right back to set up a fine chance which wastefully was directed straight into Gallagher’s upright body to leave his side with less a return than they might have deserved from the initial stanza.

As the sunshine dulled, it became clear that Hibs had failed to make sufficient hay. Yet David McCracken raised the pulses when he foolishly allowed himself to be robbed by Brewster. Onward the striker strode with just Gallagher in his sights but he took far too long and came under pressure before unleashing a rather innocuous blast with which the goalkeeper comfortably dealt.

Ebbing and flowing from one end of the field to the other, possession was increasingly controlled at United’s feet, the touchline raids initiated by Hibs wing-backs noticeably drying up as the hosts took their turn to plunder with vigour, a strategy which paid off in the 64th minute.

McIntyre and the ever-prominent Hannah traded a neat one-two on the left which the latter despatched inwards. It descended within range of both Ulrik Laursen and Colgan at the back post but both neglected their remit as Hamilton raced in to slot into the net.

One presumed McLeish’s charges would have quickly arisen after their wake-up call. Instead, they remained in passive slumber and were duly rebuked six minutes later.

In possession on the fringes of the area, Sauzee squared in the direction of the adjacent Laursen. The Dane, apparently oblivious within his panorama, failed to react, allowing Hamilton to capitalise with an opportunist 25-yard lob which wholly deceived the unfortunate Colgan.

Stung, berated, and now in arrears, Hibs sought a late rally but came up short. Substitute Tom McManus engaged a fine incursion from the right and forced Gallagher into action. The guardian could only deflect the ball into Brewster’s path but with the goal at his mercy, he scuffed wide from three yards.

A gilt-edged opportunity squandered, it was not to be Hibs’ day, one sensed, and Griffin underscored the result five minutes from the end. Presented with a free-kick on the touchline, the Northern Ireland international unwound with such force that Colgan was carried over the line as he unsuccessfully tried to limit Hibs’ miserable collapse.

The Teams:

Hibernian: Colgan, De La Cruz, Sauzee, Fenwick, Larusen, Brebner, Jack, O'Neil, Murray, Brewster, Luna.

Dundee Utd: Gallagher, McCunnie, McCracken, Partridge, Aljofree, Easton, Griffin, Miller, McIntyre, Thompson, Hamilton.
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