By Dundeefc.net
April 24 2002

MON 27TH DECEMBER

Dundee 1 (Falconer 77) St Johnstone 1 (Lownes 44)

Douglas van Eijs, Tweed, Smith, Ireland, Sharp Rae, Billio, Boyack Banger, Falconer

Subs:
Grady (for van Eijs 58), Robertson (for Ireland 89), Slater, Bayne, Langfield

A classic header from Willie Falconer from Barry Smith's cross was a fitting way that the last goal of the 20th Century at Dens should be scored. That goal had the added bonus of bringing Dundee a point from a match in which they only played in fits and starts. Strange feeling getting a draw and we'd almost forgotten what it felt like, this being the first of the season.

It took Dundee a long time to warm up and Saints dominated the first half hour, but without creating much of substance with the notable exception of John McQuillan's 30 yard piledriver which crashed off the top of the bar after quarter of an hour. Dundee had Billio booked after only a minute for a late challenge on O'Halloran and on twenty minutes Garry Bollan was extremely lucky to stay on the park when he felled van Eijs with a two footed challenge.

With 32 minutes gone Dundee had their first real chance as Falconer got on the end of a Boyack cross and directed a powerful downwards header on target only to see Main save well. Two minutes later Main was extremely lucky to get away with an error as he fumbled Boyack's weak twenty yarder into the path of Falconer, Willie's shot from an accute angle rapped off the bar and into the path of Rae at the back post - Gavin will still be wondering how he failed to hit the target from less than six yards. Moments later Rae almost made ammends when his powerful drive from the edge of the box was goal bound until a Saints boot got in the way to defelct the ball for a corner.

Dundee were punished for their failure to take these chances on the stroke of half time when Lowndes pounced to score at the second attempt after a cross from Bollan.

The Dark Blues had to up the tempo after the break and introduced James Grady for the limping van Eijs, with Banger moved out to the left to accomodate the wee hitman. Grady was involved in another good chance in 65 minutes when his knockdown found Boyack in space 15 yards out but the midfielders left foot shot spun over the bar. Three minutes later Grady came close when he headed over Main from Falconer's flick on only to see the ball drop just over.

Willie Falconer finally provided the breakthrough with twelve minutes to go when he got on the end of Barry Smith's excellent cross to direct a pwerful header into the bottom corner. Four minutes later Banger burst into the box and fired an angled drive at goal only to see Main pull off another fine block.