The game had a lively start with both sets of players showing a lot of enthusiasm before the game burst into life in the 5th minute. A mistake from Considine was pounced on by the Dundee attack and when Lovell was released he attempted to lob Esson and landed the ball on the top of the net. A minute later Milne made a mistake at the other end allowing Stewart to pounce and go one-on-one with the keeper. Soutar made a good save, but was unable to do anything as Foster followed up and fired the Dons ahead.

Dundee almost hit back in the 8th minute when Hegarty found space in the Aberdeen area and snatched his effort wide of the target. Three minutes later Sheerin cut in from the left and hit his shot wide of the goal. Both sides looked uncertain at the back and a gambling man would have put decent money on more goals following. Hinds sent in a dangerous cross in the 16th minute but there was no one there to finish the move off. Stewart almost grabbed a second in the 20th minute when he headed a Sheerin cross inches wide.

By this stage Aberdeen were in control with the young players giving a good account of themselves. In the 33rd minute Souter tested his namesake in the Dundee goal with a fierce strike that the keeper held at the second attempt. Five minutes later Clark almost beat the keeper with what would have been a fortunate strike. With five minutes remaining Stewart did well to beat the offside trap and it required Soutar to come well off his line to clear the danger.

In the 66th minute substitute Kneissl hit a low shot that beat Esson and was cleared off the line. The same player had a really bad miss four minutes later when he ballooned a cut back over the bar from six yards. In between the chances Aberdeen introduced David Donald in place of Heikkinen. This appearance made him the youngest player to play for the senior team in their history. Considine went close in the 72nd minute when he steered a Morrison corner wide. This miss was to prove costly as Dundee's pressure paid off in the 74th minute when Milne turned the ball into the net following a Brady corner.

Tarditi and Prunty were then introduced in place of Clark and Hinds as Aberdeen tried to turn the match back in their favour. Esson then pulled off a terrific save from a Kneissl shot to keep the match level. Aberdeen almost grabbed a sensational winner in the 85th minute when Sheerin crashed a Stewart cross off the bar and Prunty turned the loose ball on to the bar. The miss was punished in injury time when Lovell fired in the winner to complete the Dons season of misery.