Davie Dodds created a little bit of Dundee United history last night whrn his first half goal (above) sent the Tannadice team through to the semi finals of the European Cup for the first time ever. It was a tense, nervous second leg which had the Tayside hearts beating away above normal.

United never reached the heights they had acheived in the last round against Standard Liege, but when it came to a test of nerve and sheer determination they were more than a match for the Austrians, who had high hopes of reaching the semi - finals. Derek Stark's goal in the first leg in Vienna proved a golden bonus last night, for at the end of the day it was the goal that made all the difference, United going through on the strength of it. But of course they did need at least one on their home ground, and big Davie Dodds supplied it after only 21 minutes, hooking a left foot shot high over the goalkeeper. From that moment on it was a desperate struggle with both sides having their moments, but in the end United made Rapid coach Otto Baric eat his words of a fortnight ago when, minutes after Rapid had won the first leg 2-, he arrogantly wrote off the Scottish teams chances.

Now United, safely into the semi-finals look well equipped to carry Scotland's banner, and it does not matter who they get when the draw is made on in Switzerland tomorrow. They must know they can play so much better than this, and thay proved last night that when things go against them they have the determination to compensate. United forced the pace from the start but found a packed Austrian defence giving nothing away.

Indeed the first real threat to goal came in front of McAlpine when Kranjcar hammered in a drive which struck Hegarty and bounced to safety. Narey was next to the rescue with a perfectly-timed tackle on Krankl, and that was a sharp reminder to United that Rapid fancied themselves to score a goal at Tannadice. United were being patient, maybe too patient, especially when it was so obvious that Rapid goalkeeper Feurer was suffering an attack of early nerves. He punched, not at all decisively (when he should have held, and generally gave the impression that his feet were being scalded by some fierce undersoil heating.

But m 19 minutes the Austrian keeper did something right, making a tremendous save from Gough following a Bannon free kick. Then two minutes later United got the goal they so desperately craveed and Feurer was back in the bad books. Gough lofted a ball into the middle, Stark pushed it on and Dodds seemed to mis-hit it on the half turn, but the crowd erupted as the ball sailed over the keeper's head and into the net. It was the perfect start for United, who were now in a winning position, but Paner Ha showed the Scots were still vunerable in 30 minutes when he hit a first-time dnve only too high. Rapid now had to come out, a for a long spell they had United hemned in as they pushed for a goal. They considered themselves most unfortunarte not to be given a penalty when Dodds sent Kranjcar tumbling in the box, but on the whole United were defending well, and, of cours^re always a threat when they moved forward.

On the half-time whistle United were stiil pinned back. It certainly was not one of their better peformances, but they had managed to get that so-vital goal. At the start of .the second half Rapid had Willfurth on for Kranjcar and United looked rather nervous, giving the ball away much more than is normal for them. There were also nervous signs from the Austrian camp - coach Otto Baric had to be spoken to by the referee for prancing about on the touchline. Bannon was booked for dissent in 52 minutes and the match became more tense by the minute. With Rapid needing just one goal, United were on a tightrope.

With 38 minutes gone Jim McLcan made a switch, Coyne making his European debut, was taken off, Milne coming on. and 'within a minute United should have had a penalty when Pregesbauer handIed a Dodds header. Referee Wurtz however turned away the claims. Hagmayr was then brought onfor Rapid for Pentanka, a bit of a surprise but Hagmayr was the man who sparked off Rapid's fightback in the first leg. The other Austrian substitute, Willfurth. became the second player to be booked for a doubtful tackle on Bannon. It was not before time for the referee to take action against the Austrians. Sturrock for example, had been conlinually used as a second ball by the big defence. I With six minutes teft Holt replaced Kirkwood and those were desperate moments for United, but character shone through and the Scots claimed their place in the last four.

Dundee United: McAlpine, Stark, Malpas, Gough, Hegarty, Narey, Bannon, Milne, Kirkwood, Sturrock, Dodds Substitutes: Holt, Milne, Clark, McGinnis, Gardiner.

Rapid Vienna: Feuter, Lainer, Garger, Pregesbauer, Weber, Kienast, Kranjcar, Panemka, Krankl, Bruenic, Keglevits Substitutes: Willfurth, Hagmayr, Wiernhofer, Stadler, Neubeur.

Ref: R Wurtz (France)

Attendance: 18,685