Dons stumble at opening hurdle

Six thousand Dons fans were left disappointed at Tannadice this afternoon after an injury time strike was enough to earn United the points. Jimmy Calderwood must now dread facing Craig Levein as the United manager maintained his 100% record against Aberdeen. The home side were reduced to ten men in the 43rd minute when Flood was sent off after receiving two yellow cards. The Dons then failed to break down the United defence and when they did keeper Szamotuiski was in fine form. Andrew Considine had made an error half way through the second half that allowed Robson to smack the ball off the post and in the first minute of injury time he tried to chest the ball back to Soutar and allowed Robertson to nip in and fire it past Derek Soutar.

Dundee United kicked off in front of a noisy crowd inside Tannadice but there was little goalmouth incident in the opening five minutes. Aberdeen then threatened as Foster and Smith combined well. Mackie was unable to get on the end of the Foster cross and United broke quickly and won the first corner of the match after Considine mopped up. Aberdeen, playing in a 4-4-2 formation, with Severin in the heart of the defence, defended the set play well. United were holding the upper hand in the early exchanges, but Dods was lucky to escape a caution in the 8th minute after a poor challenge on Clark.

A minute later a Nicholson free kick was wasted then a Considine delivery caused more problems in the tenth minute before the home team scrambled the ball clear. Three minutes later McNamara set up Mackie but the forward was harshly penalised as Dods fell over in the challenge. McNamara was probing well and causing the home defence problems andLee Miller threatened in the 15th minute as he fired a shot across the face of the goal, but there were no takers. United were then forced into an early substitution when Conway replaced Robb in the 16th minute.

United threatened in the 20th minute when a Dillon cross was headed for a corner by Severin. The set play came to nothing as United were penalised as the ball was delivered. A Nicholson shot was blocked in the 25th minute before United won a couple of corners putting the Dons under pressure. Soutar was forced to punch a Flood cross clear before a Hunt effort was deflected for a corner by Nicholson. Soutar was forced to punch clear again as the home side forced a fourth corner, which Aberdeen eventually scrambled clear.

Smith made a probing run on the half hour mark before being outnumbered allowing United to break quickly again forcing  Soutar into a fantastic save from a Robertson header that looked to be heading straight into the top corner. After covering himself with glory Soutar looked less impressive as he went to collect the corner and never quite made it. Flood then collected the first caution of the match in the 32nd minute when he upended Smith in the centre circle. United moved their corner count to seven a minute later as Aberdeen continued to be forced on to the back foot. Aberdeen did win a free kick 30 yards out but the keeper easily gathered Nicholson’s effort.

Mackie found himself in space in the 40th minute but his pass to Nicholson was too heavy and the threat was snuffed out. There was real drama in the 42nd minute when Flood was adjudged to have dived when challenged by McNamara. The referee was not impressed and showed the Irishman a second yellow card on his United debut. A minute later Mackie was through on goal but the big Polish keeper turned his shot round the post for the Dons first corner. The keeper then missed the corner but Considine couldn’t turn the ball into the net. Mackie became the first Don to be booked in the 45th minute when he was harshly cautioned for persistent fouling.

Lovell replaced Mackie at the start of the second half and the Dons made a positive start with Foster looking for his strikers in the opening minute. Clark was tumbled in the penalty box a minute later but he was up quickly and didn’t make any claim. At the other end Dillon had a decent effort that drifted over the bar. Robertson conceded a corner in the 49th minute after Hart mad a good run behind the defence. United defended the set play well but they had to thank the keeper again in the 52nd minute when he made a terrific save from Nicholson who had powered  a Hart delivery goalward.

A minute later Lovell had a great chance to open the Dons account but pulled his effort wide of the target when he should really have tested the keeper. Aberdeen were totally in control now and United were forced into desperate defending at this stage. The keeper was called into action again when he blocked a Miller effort before Lovell was flagged offside as he tried to follow up. A Robson free kick in the 59th minute was well defended by Considine before a Nicholson effort was blocked at the other end. United had another chance three minutes later from a second Robson free kick but once again it came to nothing.

United had soaked up the early pressure and began threatening again but a Nicholson free kick in the 70th minute produced another Dons corner that was once again scrambled clear. Hart and Foster were supplying the ammunition but Miller and Lovell were unable to cash in with a weak Lovell header in the 67th minute being a prime example. Kenneth was cool in the six-yard box as he chested the ball back to his keeper and at the other end Aberdeen was forced to defend another corner. United almost scored in the 72nd minute after a poor mistake from Considine. The United captain stepped forward and smashed the ball off the upright. A minute later Jeffrey de Visscher made his debut as he replaced Clark.

United were now matching Aberdeen as the ten men moved up another gear and were quick to threaten every time an Aberdeen attack broke down. Robson was causing severe problems and once again he broke in the 78th minute and Foster earned a yellow card as he felled the home captain. The subsequent free kick was headed inches wide by Dods, but the assistant had already raised the flag. Hart was supplying the best of the ammunition but the home side were defending well and there were little scraps for Miller and Lovell to feed on.

With eight minutes remaining Soutar had an easy save from Hunt and a minute later Lee Mair made his debut as he replaced McNamara, Seconds later Dods made a last gasp challenge to deny Lovell before United cleared the subsequent corner. Aberdeen continued to press and de Visscher was seeing a lot of the ball, but the home defence were standing firm. The Dons were finally caught out in the 91st minute when Robertson fired the ball into the Dons net after a costly error from Andrew Considine. With games against Hearts and Celtic to follow, this is not the start Jimmy Calderwood would have hoped for.