Old boys have the Dons in a daze

NEVER mind the team on the other side of Tannadice Street. If Dundee United need to find a partner for a merger they have no need to look beyond Aberdeen. Every time these clubs get together United's satisfaction is guaranteed.

Paul Sturrock's team have won only two home games in the league all season, both against Aberdeen.

This result was another to leave Dons chairman Stewart Milne fingering the nails for Paul Hegarty's managerial coffin. Funeral time should coincide with the next New Firm derby. United's 3-0 win at Pittodrie hastened Alex Miller's departure, and 15 months ago a 5- 0 rout at Tannadice put Roy Aitken's head in the noose. The point was not lost on Sturrock. "Every time we have shown that level of commitment, work-rate, and attitude this season we have won games," said the United manager. ''It is about us making that a regular occurrence." United grew in stature through this busy game as Aberdeen shrunk from view. It is five years since the Dons have even scored at Tannadice, and this was yet another occasion when their defence was found equally culpable. United pulled them around and apart in a manner which left Hegarty, a defender of distinction in his own playing days, muttering darkly of renewed efforts to find new players to put in at the back. The first half had been played at a brisk pace, and although United were slightly more urgent in attack there was little to chose between the teams. Mike Newell sent Sieb Dykstra scampering across goal with a glancing header before Jason de Vos smacked the ball into Aberdeen's net, only for the effort to be disallowed for a Billy Dodds foul on Leighton. Leighton's ego, as well as his body, took another bruising at Tannadice. It was the latest occasion at which the 40-year-old's critics were presented with evidence that the old man is playing beyond his sell-by date. His judgement was certainly flawed when he left his box, then dallied before knocking a ball out of play, allowing Olofsson a quick throw-in. He then had to race desperately back to his unguarded goal. The United fans lapped up such clumsy antics. The hesitancy Leighton displayed under relentless United crosses was matched by the defenders around him, and it cost Aberdeen the opening goal in 34 minutes. No one got to grips with de Vos's height from a Joe Miller corner and he nodded it towards the net, where Olofsson rose to bundle it over the line with another header. Dennis Wyness, a youngster who ought to be worried about his inability to break into what has been a sub-standard Dons team over the last couple of years, was given a chance from the start. He struck a couple of firm shots at the United goal, but lacked the guile and very presence of Dodds and Olofsson at the other end. It was Dodds who pushed the game beyond Aberdeen's reach with a close-range header from Miller's corner, three minutes into the second half. That Dodds and Miller, both former Dons, should conspire to mug their old team was as painful as it was predictable. The deal which took Dodds from Pittodrie was destined to haunt Aberdeen from the second the door closed behind him. The striker who went the other way in their #1 million swap deal, Robbie Winters, was injured so at least escaped the gleeful abuse he would have known to expect from the United support. David Hannah, on his home debut second time around, provided the final twist of the knife with a smooth third goal. Olofsson deliberated before teeing up the midfielder to pass the ball into the corner of Leighton's net from 20 yards. Aberdeen's attempt to rally was weak, with on-loan striker Alex Notman given only the last nine minutes to make his debut. At least he learned something new: his real club, Manchester United, tend not to find themselves three down anywhere, let alone at Dundee. "What did it was the inability to defend, especially at the first two goals," said Hegarty. "Players had a specific job to do, didn't do it, and we were punished." As news filtered through of the score from Ibrox, United's fans were in the mood for triumphalism. For them the day's results confirmed a merger would be superfluous. "There's only one team in Dundee," they chanted, wandering off into the dark to snigger at their neighbours again. ABERDEEN 34min Olofsson 48min Dodds 66min Hannah DUNDEE UNITED

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