An early sucker punch sent us packing in the Scottish Cup despite a second-half United onslaught.  

Dundee 1 (Murray 1')

Dundee United 0

8pm Monday 20 January 2025

The ScotFoam Stadium at Dens Park

Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Fourth Round

Attendance: 9,294

Images: Richard Wiseman (Club Photographer)

The Team Talk

Jim Goodwin made two changes to the team that secured a late victory against St Mirren last time out. Ross Docherty and Glenn Middleton were the ones who made way, with Ross Graham and Louis Moult stepping into the starting lineup.

It came with a tweak in shape - Kevin Holt featuring alongside Vicko Ševelj in the engine room and two up top for The Terrors!

We bolstered our ranks with the arrivals of Ruari Paton and Lewis Fiorini, who were both included among the substitutes within 24 hours of putting pen to paper on loan deals until the end of the season. 

A Nightmare Start

A home corner won inside the opening 30 seconds brought the first goal as Simon Murray's near-post glancing header rippled the net. 

A Sign of Life

Despite looking spooked after the opener, we eventually got to grips with some sustained possession inside the Dundee half. 

Dalby had the ball in the net as the clock struck the tenth minute but Will Ferry's dug-out cross was judged to have left the field of play in the build-up. 

Apart from a Lyall Cameron volley into a clustered penalty area, chances were few and far between for what remained of the first 45.

Graham almost marked his selection with a fine header on the half-hour mark as he met an inviting cross from Ševelj, but could only bullet over the bar. 

Ševelj then thought he had levelled proceedings, but it was pulled back for what looked like an innocuous foul inside the Dundee area, with play not allowed to continue before being halted. 

Out With More Purpose

There was more intent around us from the restart as we replicated a forced early corner just seconds in. Ryan Strain's dangerous delivery was hooked clear before Will Ferry went close with a curling cross-cum-shot in search of the far post!

Cameron should really have doubled the hosts' lead a few moments later as a cutback evaded several bodies before the Dundee number 10 fired over from the edge of the area. 

A Moult header and a penalty box scramble were then the closest we came before freshening it with a triple change. 

OFF: Strain, Adegboyega and Moult

ON: Middleton, Trapanovski and Paton

In Search of Glory

Our new number 21 was almost off to a dream start as he got on the end of Middleton's cross, but his goalbound effort was cleared off the line and sent behind for a corner. 

The recycled delivery was then nodded towards the top corner by Declan Gallagher but a super stop from Trevor Carson kept the hosts ahead!

Ferry almost pulled a rabbit out the hat as he cracked a first-time volley towards goal which Carson well parried in the end. A Dalby snapshot was then taken in his grasp as the clock ticked down.

Last Gasp Chances

Kristijan Trapanovski was agonisingly close to a dramatic equaliser in stoppage time, cutting in from the left and curling a superb effort which cracked the far post. Remarkably, from the rebound, Carson quickly recovered to pull off a stunning save, tipping Sevelj’s header over the bar.  

Post-Match Thoughts

Teamlines

Dundee

Starting XI: Carson, Ingram, Robertson, Astley, Cameron, Adewumi, Garza, Murray, Robertson, Sylla, Donnelly

Subs: McCraken, Sharp, Tiffoney, Main, Samuels, Palmer-Houlden, Graham, Vetro

Dundee United

Starting XI: Walton, Strain, Holt, Ševelj, Graham, Moult, Ferry, Adegboyega, Stephenson, Dalby, Gallagher (c)

Subs: Richards, Trapanovski, Fiorini, Babunski, Middleton, Fotheringham, van der Sande, Paton 

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