Dundee 1
Hamilton Academical 0
League Cup (Quarter Final 2nd Leg)

Match Report

As expected Dundee moved forward at the earliest opportunity. However Ferguson dealt competently with a series of crosses.

The game was only ten minutes old when the first controversial incident took place. A poor clearance from Ferguson was picked up by Peter Millar who spotting the Hamilton keeper off his goal-line, chipped the ball over him into the net. The goal was chalked off however presumably for offside after referee Foote had consulted his far side linesman.

Although Dundee had most of the play Hamilton showed they were not there just to defend when a Graham shot from 25 yards was just over. Frew also got into the act with a shot.

Dundee were going forward but failing to make many clear cut chances. They achieved one however eight minutes before half-time when a Murphy cross found the head of Sinclair who hit the post then saw the ball cleared. Dundee kept attacking right up to the half-time whistle but to no avail.

Dundee had a lucky escape at the beginning of the second-half when Fletcher got in the way of a close in shot from Wright. Although a McLaren shot was just wide the home side seemed to be rapidly running short of ideas.

However, they looked to have got round this in 56 minutes when Les Barr slotted a free kick home from just outside the penalty area.

This time it was the standside linesman who indicated for offside but referee Foote didn't consult his fellow official though he agreed with his decision and awarded Hamilton a free kick.

This second loss of a goal was too much for Peter Millar who was booked for protesting.

Both sides made substitutions in sixty minutes when Shirra came on for Turnbull and McGrogan for Howie. Later on Dundee used their second sub when Davidson came on for Murphy. In 65 minutes McGrogan was booked for time wasting. The pressure from Dundee was almost continual now and McLaren went close again in seventy-two minutes.

Inevitably they were almost caught on the break. First in 82 minutes when McGrogan beat three men only to see his shot deflected for a corner. Three minutes later the same player only

had Donaldson to beat but passed to Fairlie who hit Glennie from close in doing the same with the rebound before the ball eventually reached the safety of Ally Donald son's arms.

From this incident Dundee went up to score the only goal of the game, when Pirie headed home from a Shirra cross, but it was too late to make much difference and Hamilton went forward to the League Cup semi-finals and a match against Dundee United.

Dundee fans' abiding memory of that match will be the questionable refereeing decisions. If the 'goals' had stood they would have gone through. At the first 'goal' some Dundee players had not had time to get back as the goalie cleared so when Millar lobbed the ball home they may have been in an offside position. However, if they were heading away from the goalmouth was it fair to say they were interfering with play or even seeking to gain an advantage.

For the second offside goal the decision. was given against a Dundee player who was well away from the action and certainly wasn't interfering with play.

Referee Foote was to become Dundee's Bête-noir that season when he later refereed the infamous cup-tie against Dundee United sending off McLaren and Sinclair. Two seasons earlier he denied Dundee a cast iron penalty claim in a match against Morton.

A win for Dundee that day instead of a 1-1 draw would probably have meant promo tion for the Dens Parkers but a few weeks later they missed out to Morton and Hearts by one point.

It is not surprising then that Mr Foote is well remembered by Dens fans albeit for the wrong reasons. However, his crucial decisions in the Hamilton match were made with the guidance of his linesmen.

Match report written by David Quinn (Matchday Programme)