First Team
Match Report | Rangers 1-1 Dundee United
23rd November 2024
For this reserve match United field a young side bolstered by first team players Dodds, Grady, McCracken and Samuel. The line up is a 3-5-2 formation with McLean in goal behind a back three of Dodds, McCracken and Gardiner. Callaghan plays wide right with McAleenan on the left and Burnett, Abbot and Robertson in midfield. Up front Grady partners Samuel.
Right from the start Aberdeen give notice and a shot from Blaha is wide in only the first minute. United reply with a Grady effort after good work by Samuel. Macaulay fires wide and Foster has his shot saved well by McLean after ten minutes while United are playing some good passing football without an end result.
After eighteen minutes a decent ball over the defence from Dodds is just too long for Grady. Dempsey then picks up a loose ball in the box and feeds Craig who is in the clear but McLean does well to use his body to block the shot. The keeper then does well to palm a corner away and he blocks another shot despite being fouled in the process. Foster is then allowed acres of space at the back post but McLean saves again.
In an effort to stem the Dons attacks, United switch to a 4-4-2 with Dodds moving to midfield, allowing Abbot and McAleenan to fill the full back roles. This seems to have some effect initially but Aberdeen still look the more likely and McLean has to be quick off his line to prevent Craig getting in to score. Blaha then has a shot saved and for United a couple of free kicks cause the Dons problems but they are both cleared.
After the interval, Aberdeen pick up where they left off and Blaha fires wide five minutes into the half. Abbot then sends in a great ball for Grady but his powerful header across goals is narrowly wide. Robertson then has a chance after good work by Callaghan and Samuel set him away but he is closed down before he can shoot.
The visitors take the lead on the hour mark when Blaha heads home from a corner kick and a minute later they are two up when Blaha turns provider with a cut back that Donald fires in. Craig fires wide before United get a chance through Dodds but his low shot is held. Aberdeen wrap the points up with a low angled drive by Craig after the United defence is cut open and with eight minutes left Dempsey gets the fourth when he has an easy tap in after McLean does well to parry a Craig shot. Substitute Keily misses a simple chance before the end.
United: McLean, Callaghan, McAleenan, Dodds, McCracken, Gardiner, Burnett, Abbot, Grady, Robertson, Samuel. Subs : Gibson, McDonald, Andreoni, Feeney.
Right from the start Aberdeen give notice and a shot from Blaha is wide in only the first minute. United reply with a Grady effort after good work by Samuel. Macaulay fires wide and Foster has his shot saved well by McLean after ten minutes while United are playing some good passing football without an end result.
After eighteen minutes a decent ball over the defence from Dodds is just too long for Grady. Dempsey then picks up a loose ball in the box and feeds Craig who is in the clear but McLean does well to use his body to block the shot. The keeper then does well to palm a corner away and he blocks another shot despite being fouled in the process. Foster is then allowed acres of space at the back post but McLean saves again.
In an effort to stem the Dons attacks, United switch to a 4-4-2 with Dodds moving to midfield, allowing Abbot and McAleenan to fill the full back roles. This seems to have some effect initially but Aberdeen still look the more likely and McLean has to be quick off his line to prevent Craig getting in to score. Blaha then has a shot saved and for United a couple of free kicks cause the Dons problems but they are both cleared.
After the interval, Aberdeen pick up where they left off and Blaha fires wide five minutes into the half. Abbot then sends in a great ball for Grady but his powerful header across goals is narrowly wide. Robertson then has a chance after good work by Callaghan and Samuel set him away but he is closed down before he can shoot.
The visitors take the lead on the hour mark when Blaha heads home from a corner kick and a minute later they are two up when Blaha turns provider with a cut back that Donald fires in. Craig fires wide before United get a chance through Dodds but his low shot is held. Aberdeen wrap the points up with a low angled drive by Craig after the United defence is cut open and with eight minutes left Dempsey gets the fourth when he has an easy tap in after McLean does well to parry a Craig shot. Substitute Keily misses a simple chance before the end.
United: McLean, Callaghan, McAleenan, Dodds, McCracken, Gardiner, Burnett, Abbot, Grady, Robertson, Samuel. Subs : Gibson, McDonald, Andreoni, Feeney.
