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Dundee United
will fly home today nursing European Cup bruises, but confident
they will shatter burley Spartans at Tannadice. It was an efficient
victory over Malta's best - and most efficient team. They have spent
£50,000 in the last year buying players for their League and
Cup winning campaign, much of the money channeled from Saudi Arabia.
Spartans, having seen rivals Valetta decimated by Rangers, were
determined that wouldn't happen to them in their first European
venture. They were prepared to adopt rough-house tactics as they
tried to salvage pride against a superior side.
United could
be unhappy acout the Yugoslav referee who didn't stamp on trouble
until the second half. The Spartan players even tried to waste time
by telling ball boys not to retrieve the ball. However, everything
considered, United have launched themselves reasonably into Europe's
major competition. They were never in danger after john Reilly put
them ahead in only two minutes.
Hamrun were
better organised than Valetta. They had players who had sampled
European games with other clubs, the brothers George and Raymond
Xuereb who were good in midfield. There was some shocking tackling
in the first half, but the referee suprisingly took no action until
well into the match. Hr booked Gaetan Refalo and George Xuereb for
bad fouls and then attempted to balance the books by cautioning
Richard Gough for obstructing Refalo.
Bannon finished
the game as a contedt in 32 minutes. He stylishly headed headed
in a cross from Ralph Milne and the Maltese knew they would be teased
for the rest of the match. The third goal came in 68 minutes and
was started by a Bannon cross. Gough's shot was blocked on the line,
but the ball bounced to Stark and he finished it off with a fine
shot.
Hamrun
Spartans:
Brincat, G.Refalo, Ferrugia, Salerno, L.RefaloIyanov, R. Xunereb,
Zahtmit,Gutman, G.Xunereb, Degiriogo Substitutes: Callejae,
A. Assopardi, Maraston, Gruich, A. Assopardi.
Dundee
United: McAlpine,
Kirkwood, Stark, Gough, Hegarty, Narey, Bannon, Milne, Reilly, Holt,
Dodds, Substitutes: Clark, Malpas, Phillip, Taylor, Gardiner.
Ref:
B. Sinassi (Yugoslavia)
Attendance:
17,000
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