Aberdeen 1 - 1 Dundee United

Eric Black took only nine minutes to crown his first game with a goal, to the great delight of a disappointingly small crowd of 11,000. He rose majestically to head home a Gordon Strachan corner. This goal came two minutes after Jim Leighton had brought off an international class save to tip over a Bannon deflection. John Hewitt had the chance to double the score 60 seconds after Black's strike but the stand-in goalkeeper pushed his shot on to the post. Aberdeen had given him an uneasy opening spell and he desperately pushed a John McMaster free-kick on to the crossbar. United tried to mount attacks as they have always enjoyed playing at Pittodrie but Willie Miller and Neale Cooper repulsed their efforts.
As the first half progressed the Dons lost their initial impetus and United gradually made the flow of the game more even. The game was also becoming more physical and Cooper was lectured by the referee and Mark McGhee and United's Murray were booked. A strong Aberdeen appeal for a penalty was ignored by Referee Smith. Phillip was limping badly and had to be replaced by Gough.

The Dons started the second half exactly like the first with pressure on Graham, who was replacing the injured and inimitable Hamish McAlpine. Cooper and Doug Rougvie had shots blocked before Graham brilliantly parried a Rougvie header. Then Cooper scooped the ball over the bar from two yards out. Aberdeen paid for those missed chances when the Tannadice team equalised in 56 minutes. Milne almost burst the net with his first-time shot from the edge of the box after Hegarty had dummied a cross from the left. This goal revitalised United and Leighton had an excellent save from a point-blank Kirkwood shot. The game was now flowing freely with both sides attacking. The next incident of note was a good save by Graham to deny Hewitt a goal. Although chances continued to be made, and missed, at both ends, defences gradually took control and it was obvious in the last 10 to 15 minutes of the game that United were happy to settle for a point.

Source: Match Programme, 2nd November 1991