MATCH REPORT | A PROMOTION PARTY AT TANNADICE
4th May 2024
DUNDEE UNITED 3
ABERDEEN 7
CAS UNDER-18S ELITE LEAGUE
14:00 FRIDAY 30TH SEPTEMBER
GUSSIE PARK
The Young Terrors hosted New Firm rivals Aberdeen at Gussie Park to round off September.
United ran out 3-1 victors last time the Dons came to Tayside, a Rory MacLeod hattrick the difference in that one.
Ryan Moon’s side went into the match fresh off the back of a resilient fightback last week at Oriam as Stuart Heenan’s close-range header deep into second-half stoppage time ensured the Young Terrors left the Capital with a deserved point.
Line-Up
Three changes were made to the XI which battled back from two down against Heart of Midlothian eight days prior, both full-backs Nairn Lowe and Owen Emslie withdrawn as Keir Bertie returned to his regular slot on the left and Sean Borland filled the gap on the right. Captain Craig Moore was back from international duty with Scotland U18s in Limoges and anchored the midfield alongside Bryan Mwangi, whilst Alan Domeracki spearheaded the midfield trio.
Up top, MacLeod played central in a three, closely supported by narrow wingers Heenan and Adam Carnwath.
Unspectacular Opening
A scrappy opening 15 minutes unfolded on a saturated artificial surface in the shadow of Tannadice, with both sides unable to get a flowing rhythm to build momentum. Aberdeen looked to go long at the earliest opportunity, with physical attacking duo Liam Harvey and Alfie Bavidge proving difficult to deal with for the hosts’ defence. Moore and Mwangi, therefore, had to be alert to pounce on second balls from the Route One style employed by former United midfielder Barry Robson – now Dons U18s Head Coach
The first chance of the game came with 16 minutes played and fell the way of the aforementioned Harvey, his low strike from the right side of the area met with a strong Zach Balfour save.
Breakthrough
United hit back just over 60 seconds later, drawing first blood through Heenan. A searching ball down the left channel from Bertie found Carnwath in acres of space who sent a driven cross along the six-yard line for his opposite winger to steer home into an unguarded net.
The lead didn’t last long for the home side though, as the Granite City men found an equaliser almost instantly. Alfie Stewart, who looked lively all afternoon, sent a clipped ball up towards Bavidge who rolled Samuel Cleall-Harding and drilled low through Balfour in the United net from 12 yards.
Dons Rising
Intricacies in and around the Aberdeen penalty area led to numerous counters for the visitors as United were caught trying to negate tight spaces poorly when perhaps a more direct approach could’ve caused the visitors some problems.
An awkward one for Balfour to deal with followed, a half-clearance from a Dons corner dropping to Brendan Hamilton and his first-time half-volley took a sizeable deflection before looping into the air and dropping off the underside of the crossbar.
Then Bavidge had Balfour scrambling across his line with a skidding shot following a loose defensive header from Arron Donald. Luckily the ball slid the wrong side of the post.
Heenan Hits Brace
Despite being under the cosh, on the half-hour mark United restored their lead. A speculative ball down the centre from Donald was neatly flicked through the defence by MacLeod for the onrushing Heenan who now found himself one-on-one with Blessing Oluyemi. The Aberdeen stopper smothered the resultant Heenan effort sharply and the loose ball fell to MacLeod who attempted an audacious scissor kick on the full. This too was thwarted by a Dons defender, but eventually, Heenan collected the scraps and fired into the roof of the net.
Balfour’s distribution had caused some issues for the hosts from the off, and this time Aberdeen almost capitalised as the keeper failed to find Cleall-Harding’s feet with what looked to be a routine pass. Stewart pounced on the loose ball and drove into the area before cutting back for Bavidge in splendid isolation and his weak, side-footed effort failed to trouble the keeper. A let-off for the Young Terrors.
There were half-hearted shouts for a spot-kick on the stroke of half-time after Mwangi bundled his way into the box and the ball rebounded off the arm of an opponent, the referee not interested. A fast break for Aberdeen followed which culminated in Adam Emslie going close from outside the area.
At the start second half, a sweeping move from right to left opened space for Carnwath to strike from 25 yards, the ball skidding off the top of the crossbar after a slight deflection.
Bavidge had the ball in the net on 49 minutes as he slid an Emslie cutback into the net but the linesman’s flag cut Aberdeen’s celebrations short.
United, now going direct more often, could’ve added to their advantage four minutes later when Heenan raced through on goal after collecting a long ball which was misjudged by the Dons backline but found his venomous shot from a relatively tight angle saved by Oluyemi after fending off the challenge of Kai Watson for more than 20 yards.
Goals Flowing
Findlay Marshall’s tenacity down the right saw him collect a lost cause following a strong tackle from Donald and the number six charged towards the box. He pulled the trigger from 12 yards and Balfour denied him with a fabulous save down to his right but unfortunately, the rebound fell kindly back to Marshall and he finished with ease.
Crosses from the left boot of Emslie were causing havoc in the United penalty area whether they were low or high, this time the winger chose the former option and the ball awkwardly squirmed all the way to the back post for Harvey who slid to steer on target, and a combination of Donald and Balfour managed to make an unorthodox block.
A compact defence inside a busy penalty area faced Mwangi but the midfielder kept his composure to find the feet of MacLeod with a delicate pass, and the Young Terrors' number nine picked out the bottom corner with a brilliantly-executed finish into the far corner to put his side back in front with an hour down.
Once again, the lead MacLeod’s goal gave United was short-lived, and a teasing Stewart delivery to the back stick from a deep set-piece was slammed home by the unmarked Bavidge. 3-3 the score with 65 minutes on the clock.
Carnwath then found Heenan with a pass that fooled the entire Aberdeen midfield, setting his teammate free in behind but the resultant shot from United’s number eleven zipped past the near post.
Capitulation
After looking in control of the game for long periods of the second half, the wheels came off for the Young Terrors as lapses in concentration saw the game run away from them in the blink of an eye. First, the lively Emslie thumped the ball into the near post from the left of the area as Balfour failed to cover his angles, and then he teed up Bavidge following penalty-box pinball with an accurate cutback which was caressed home from ten yards.
It was 6-3 with 12 to play when Dons number seven Emslie arrowed an outrageous, long-distance thunderbolt into the top right corner which gave the keeper no chance after untidy possession from United close to their own goal, before Blair McKenzie towered over Donald to crash home number seven from a floated Stewart cross.
An afternoon to forget for United who, if it were not for a 20-minute defensive capitulation, could’ve taken at least a point from a strange encounter at Gussie Park.
Teamlines
United: Balfour, Borland, Bertie, Cleall-Harding, Donald, Moore, Carnwath, Mwangi, MacLeod, Domeracki, Heenan (Haldane, May, Lowe, Cameron, Constable, Emslie)
Aberdeen: Oluyemi, Enem, Hamilton, Watson, McKenzie, Marshall, Emslie, Lobban, Harvey, Bavidge, Stewart (Wilson, Ochmanski, Murray, Pirie)
