17/10/99 Dundee 0 Dundee Utd 2
By Dundeefc.net
April 24 2002
SUN 17TH OCTOBER
Dundee 0
Dundee Utd 2 (Dodds, Thompson)
Attendance 9460
Subs: Robertson (for Maddison) Matute (For Annand) Coyne (for Grady) Slater Langfield
Dundee turned in easily their worst performance in a derby since promotion to the SPL in front of the SKY cameras. United took quarter of an hour to take the lead. Jocky Scott said afterwards that the game was won and lost in that period and he's correct - Dundee had a flurry of attacks and Alan Combe had to pull off a good save from Falconer just before the break.
Long before Dundee got, briefly, into the match United had taken the lead through Billy Dodds, he had time and space to pick his spot from fifteen yards after Dundee's makeshift defence had been totally torn apart. Dodds' performance was described by his manager after the match as "quite majestic" and he was certainly streets ahead of anything Dundee had to offer. He wasn't the only one to perform better than Dundee's players on a night when few in Dark Blue could hold their heads high.
When Steven Thompson was sent clear by Dodds in the second period and fired the ball under Rab' Douglas' body it was all over as far as any hopes of getting a result were concerned and the silence from the Bobby Cox Stand told it's own story. Dundee gave the fans nothing to shout about thereafter although they huffed and puffed without ever looking likely to get back into the game.
This was the match that proved just how much the squad is lacking in depth and new signings are required. Also why not recall Stephen Milne from his loan spell at Forfar, after scoring 7 goals in 3 games surely he deserves a chance.