Dundee United 0 - 1 Aberdeen

Most games between the two clubs are close encounters and the two games played in the 1983-84 Scottish Cup campaign were no excep¬tion. This game was the quarter-final replay after a 0-0 draw at Pittodrie. Aberdeen's victory was the Pittodrie club's first win over United under Alex Ferguson in cup competition.

16,000 fans, including a big contingent from Aberdeen, saw the visitors storming into attack from the kick-off and the Dons were rewarded with an early goal after only 2 minutes. A poor goal kick by McAlpine was chested down by Neale Cooper and Ian Angus touched on the ball for Mark McGhee to race in and score, ignoring United pleas for offside. The Aberdeen supporters thought that McGhee was going to give a repeat performance in 7 minutes, but the keeper brought him down at the edge of the box, being booked for his indiscretion.
In these early stages the Dons were carrying all the threat and United were obviously missing the injured Gough and Bannon. United began to revive and should have scored when a weak punch-out by Jim Leighton went unpunished by Kirkwood with the goal at his mercy. United were now doing most of the pressing and Doug Rougvie and Alex McLeish cleared dangerous situations. Dodds and Kirkwood both came close to scoring. Stark was injured and was replaced by Clark and the game was being interrupted by a series of niggling fouls. Seconds before the interval Eric Black just failed to convert a McGhee cross.

The Tannadice team had an early chance to equalise but Clark scooped the ball over the bar from a Malpas free kick. Aberdeen missed a great chance to increase their lead in 57 minutes. Stewart McKimmie returned an Angus cross into the middle but the normally lethal heading of Black failed on this occasion. Aberdeen seemed content to try and contain the home team and hit them on the break and they were unlucky when a good header by Neil Simpson was well saved. United's best move saw Dodds cut the ball back to Sturrock and his drive was only inches wide of the post. At the other end McGhee was beautifully set up by Gordon Strachan but his shot hit the side net. In 72 minutes Taylor replaced McGinnis and then Rougvie was injured and was replaced by Brian Mitchell.
Aberdeen had another chance as the United defence got in a tangle but Black blasted the ball high over. The end came with United showing no sign of breaching the Aberdeen defence. It had not been the greatest of games but the Dons' fans in the crowd travelled northwards happily.

Source: Match Programme, 7th February 1993