10/11/01 Galatasarab 7 Parscelona 1
November 10th 2001
Somewhere in Dundee
(thanks to reporter
Steven Clark)
Following a
decent couple of results, Parscelona came back down to Earth with a resounding
thud in their first encounter with United’s internet team. In terms of both
fitness and play the Pars were totally outclassed and found themselves 5-0 down
at half time.
United’s opener
came when a corner was swung in towards the Pars goal, caught the wind and
sailed right over Keith Mackie’s head into the corner of the net. Poor play all
over the park saw the Pars not only squander a couple of chances, with Alan Maxwell
and Grant Macleod missing and Cammy Wilson missing out on a penalty claim, but
also lose another four goals, including an own goal from a Davie Sanders
passback.
Pars did better in
the second half with the wind behind them and, following one effort from
McKean, should have taken the lead. Fraser Clark had come on to play up front
and after troubling the United defence was brought down in the box. Alan
Maxwell stepped up to take it, opted to hit it the other way from his usual
efforts, and blasted it miles wide of the target.
Although Ross
Bremner, second half keeper, had to make a good save when one-on-one the Pars were
looking more likely to score. Keith Mackie had one shot straight at the keeper
but did better with another effort later on. With fifteen minutes remaining he
sent a curling lob dipping over the head of the United keeper.
Sadly this didn’t
spur Parscelona on to more goals – despite some good saves from Ross Bremner,
the Pars managed to concede two more. One goal saw a counter attack from a Pars
corner catch the Pars out completely and gave the big United substitute all the
time in world to jaunt down the wing and cross it in for an unmarked attacker
to slot home from two yards.
The same substitute
then completed Pars’ misery with five minutes remaining. A United corner swung
into the box and the big guy looked as surprised as everyone else when the ball
sconed off his pus and into the net.
Not a vintage performance, but much improvement in the second half.
Pars squad: R. Bremner, K. Mackie, J. Wilson, F. Clark, M. Falconer, C. McKean, D. Sanders, A. Maxwell, Alex Mercer, Alasdair Mercer, E. Campbell, C. Wilson, G. Macleod