Scottish Premiership Play-Off Final, First Leg Sportscene

COMMENTATOR: This could be something quite sensational. Right out of the

top drawer. Outstanding. It's an absolute beauty. Oh, yes!

Unbelievable. What a finish. Right here, right now. This is history.

Good evening. It's been a big day when it comes to the history of

Scottish football. It's been a big night when it comes to the here and

now of Scottish football. Highlights of the Premiership play-off final

coming your way. With us in the studio Steven Thompson and the

Championship Manager of the Season, Jim Duffy. Straight to the action.

Dundee United versus Hamilton Academical. Commentary from Willie

Millar and Liam McLeod. Commonwealth a stunning day. Dundee United,

Premiership Hamilton Academical. A two match shoot-out for the final

place in next season's top-flight. United have overcome two hurdles

already to get here. Accies just delighted to be here after saving

their skins from automatic relegation against United's

neighbours at the weekend. Ray McKinnon sticks for his side that

won through at Falkirk. Murray has a goal a game record in this season's

play-off. Dixon's first ghoel almost five years, three from time, took

them to this stage. Andreu took Accies up in 2014. Will he send them

down in 2017? Forced change, his skipper will miss both ties through

suspension. It's the team that beat Dundee in convincing fashion in

Lanarkshire at the weekend. Bingham, Skondras and Imrie were all on

scoresheet. There will be a minute's silence in memory of those who lost

their lives, those who are still missing and those affected by the

horrendous events in Manchester on Monday evening.

Part of the Hamilton team that came back to the Premiership. Steven

McLean is in charge of tonight's first-leg. A terrific night. Aened

woerful night for a game of football. What a game of football

this could be. Dundee United looking to come back into the top-flight at

the first time of asking. An Accies side desperate to avoid the drop.

Here come United already. Positive start. Willie Millar watching this

alongside me. They will want a good start. They didn't start well last

week in the second-leg at Falkirk? No, you have the home advantage.

Obviously, you want to get the home fans on your side. They've turned

out in numbers here. They will be looking for a positive start

tonight. An early goal would be absolutely fantasticing for them as

they'll look to come back to top tier status. Dundee United have the

best home record of all in the Championship. Crawford knocks the

ball in. Durnan clears. Flood's touch is heavy. Crawford. Here's

Imrie. Helped send his old club, Inverness,

down with a penalty 3-0. On easy street. Donati, replaces Devlin in

the side. Skondras, here's McKinnon. There is an offside flag. Edjenguele

on the stretch. Good defending, ultimately, isn't it, early signs

that Hamilton mean to stay up in the top tier. It's a good cross in. No

doubt about the offside. They look dead and buried against Falkirk on

Fridayle Simon Murray evaded the defence to level the tie. It came

after a fabulous first-leg here, a week past Tuesday, 2-2 draw. Twice

United led. Twice they were pegged back. They got the job done.

A lot is made of the momentum that the Championship team has coming

into this final and perhaps the Premiership side are on a bit of a

downer. What is your take on it? I think it works both ways. Hamilton,

yeah, if he they hadn't got a magnificent result against Dundee it

could be a negative. To find your scoring touch at that stage of the

season, you know, has got to give them huge confidence coming into

this game. United I think have constitutered their way to this

stage, haven't they? It's all to play for. I think, pretty evenly

matched teams. I think it is who performs over the two legs is going

to stay up. United will obviously be desperate to get back into the top

tier. They believe that they belong. Ali Crawford will take the free-kick

here. For Imrie. Asking a lot of Imrie there. I think the elbow was

up a little bit there, no doubt about that. Imrie, whether you are

judging that to, as Imrie running into the elbow or deliberately

putting the elbow into the players flaws. Steven McLean thinks it was

an accident. It could go either way that one. Dougie Imrie taking a sore

one there. The elbow is definitely up.

That will be a United corner. All countried credit to Mikkelsen there

for winning it. That is probably the best case scenario for him out of

that? Absolutely. The movement is good. Drifted to a position that is

difficult to mark. He's got up well enough. He's won the corner, I think

that's the important thing. Spittal came through the ranks at Queen's

Park. Not the worst delivery either, is

it? Edjenguele was up. Durnan there, too. Hamilton survive. Kuate has

given that to Bingham. He's on his bike. Waiting for support to arrive.

Three are getting into the middle for him. If he can find one of them,

Redmond was there. He's got to do better, hasn't he, I think, Redmond.

A great cross, excellent run there from the winger. You know, Redmond's

in. He's got to get a better touch on it. Bingham does well. Takes a

deflection. He misses it. Mikkelsen. He's got it through to

Andreu. Nicked away from him by McMann.

Now, that's going to come all the way through to Bingham. A big

chance. Bell is equal to it. It's a good save, but Bingham should do

better than that. I mean, it's a fabulous run from the striker, in

behind Edjenguele. Good save from Bell, absolutely. It should have

nestled in the back of the net. Mikkelsen is doing that so well

tonight. Spittal. Skondras. Advantage here for Hamilton

Academical. There goes Dougie Imrie. He looks in the mood tonight.

Friday night's hero, Dixon. Space for Murray. So much space, in

attacking areas, as well. Simon Murray. That's a good effort. His

movement is excellent, out towards the touchline, the left hand side,

and then really positive, setting it up for the strike. United trying to

keep the pressure on here. The Arabs in the stand, behind the

goal, shielding their eyes from the sunshine. That's a let down. The

movement is pretty good, I think, from Andreu. He sees the

opportunity, runs round the face of it. Not a good outcome, that's for

sure. It's only one 0-0 draw between these two since 1997. We are

expecting goals. Spittal does get on to it. He's run into trouble. He's

run into Skondras. Flood is there, as he normally is. Terrifically

worked by United. Here's Dixon. An early delivery. Mikkelsen's there.

The goalkeeper holds on for dear life. He gets away with it. Good

fortune there for Hamilton. Excellent play. The referee trying

to calm things down. Spittal, down the left hand side. Dixon, good

cross into the box. That could have ended up in the back of the net.

Hamilton have had a spring in their step this evening, away interest

home, that they haven't really had all season. Oh, that's a sore one

for Spittal. He somersaulted into the stand. Thankfully, he's OK. It

was awkward, he was going into the back of him. He is trying to avoid

the boards. A really difficult one. Poor ball, really. It's now with

Dixon, and Murray. Space to operate in. Spittal, he just couldn't make

the ball stick, initially. Great ball in. A shout for a penalty for a

foul on Mikkelsen. It was McMann's challenge. Yeah. I think there is

contact there, but you very rarely see a penalty given for contact as

minimal as that. Found Crawford. We know what Ali

Crawford is capable of. He certainly is. Not tonight. That is well off

target. The thoughts going through his Head, but way off target. Now

Murray. This is what he loves. What does Steven McLean make of that. He

says dive. The first truly big call of this play-off final. It's a let

off for Hamilton. It is a big call, isn't it? Simon Murray goes down too

easily. A little brush. You don't go down. He's a strong boy. He's fast,

he's quick. There's no doubt he's trying to get the advantage of the

penalty. The referee is too cute for that and makes the right decision.

Away from home is why they finished 11th. Signs they are beginning to

click? Playing with a lot of confidence, I think, Hamilton. They

are handling the situation extremely well. There's no doubt that

Templeton has been brought down there. Again, diving into the

challenge and giving Hamilton an opportunity, once again, to put them

under pressure. Ali Crawford will hope the delivery is better than the

last corner. Might fancy a pop. Redmond is over it. Hamilton fans

trying to drive their team on. Eight minutes to half-time. This is the

first-leg. It's Crawford. He is trying to outfox Bell at the

near-post. Yeah. Not good enough. Not nearly good enough. He'll be

disappointed with that finish. Got it over the wall well enough, it was

well off target, again. Here's Donati for Accies. Crawford.

Too many options there for Ali Crawford. Imrie is involved here.

Crawford! It is worrying for Dundee United, Hamilton, in the wide areas,

especially on the left, are getting plenty joy with Dougie Imrie?

Absolutely. Too much, isn't it? He has to be closed down. It's a decent

cross into the box. Ali Crawford. It can fall to one of his team-mates.

Skondras has got it. Promising right at the end for Accies. They will get

a corner in the last few seconds of the opening 45 minutes. Plenty of

opportunities to put United under pressure from the corner, but the

delivery hasn't been good enough. Taken short this time. The last

action of the first half. There will be no time. No time for Accies to

launch another assault on that United goal. Simon Murray going down

in the box, under the challenge of Donati. Perhaps United's biggest

shout of the evening. No penalty. Murray booked for diving. Bingham

had the best chance of the first half. It fell midway through the

opening 45 minutes. Mikkelsen has been a threat for United as well. We

are no closer to finding out who will be the final team in next

season's Premiership. Half-time at the first-leg, 0-0.

45 minutes here at Tannadice. Then a high stakes shoot-out in Lanarkshire

on Sunday afternoon. Dundee United might want to make hay in this

second-half. They won just four Championship matches away from

Tannadice. Accies only lost six of their home games this season.

Season. Albeit they have lost two of their last three at New Douglas

Park. They will fancy their chances on the synthetic surface there.

Evenly poised. United haven't started the

second-half at all. Have they? It's an opportunity. As you say that,

Simon Murray comes forward. Options right and left. He decided to go

himself. He had Spittal right, Mikkelsen left, but he saw the

headlines. That's the wrong decision, isn't it? You know, they

won possession and murp ray's through. Great option, wonderful run

for Spittal. He has to be played in. -- Murray.

Only visiting team to win here this season was Hibernian. They won the

second tier. It's come off Kuate. Here's Templeton. He gets a run at

it. The goalkeeper looked like he gave that up. It is a corner. Almost

sneaked in. Again, a misunderstanding. It's Kuate that

heads it on to Templeton. He does really well to create a little

opening. Takes a deflection. Bell with his heart in his mouth there.

They exchange unpleasantries. I think he's been telt there. Yeah. He

will be told by the referee, too. Danny Redmond will take this corner.

Latched on to by Bell. As a defender, that's what you want to

see from your keeper. Trying it get Murray away. Matthews is well

outside his penalty area. United are up the pitch. That is Charlie

Telfer, he's coming on. It looks as though Kuate and his engagement,

shall we say, with his team-mate is about to cost him his place in the

side. He generally hasn't been good, Liam. He has given away possession.

He's been probably at the heart of everything bad. That is a good

decision. You can understand Roy McKinnon's thinking. Off he comes.

You can see what he makes of it. He is heading straight for the tunnel.

He's not happy. You have to go over and shake hands with your team-mate.

It puts the manager in a bad situation with that kind of

attitude. As he goes directly up the tunnel. You can hear what the home

fans think about that. Woeful behaviour from Wato Kuate. He hardly

set it on fire here. He is giving it to the fans. I won't be surprised if

you don't see Wato Kuate in a Dundee United shirt again. It's not a

free-kick. At least nine out of ten for style there. Here is sigh mop

Murray. Donati trying to close the door, and he does. United fans

making a noise. They drive their team on. I think Skondras, you know,

took a major dive. I think the referee probably got that wrong. I

think he should have shown him a yellow card. Telfer. It's a United

corner. Already the substitute has a positive impact on proceedings for

the hosts. They have got to up the tempo, no doubt about that. United

at home, they want to give something to this crowd. They need to get the

crowd behind them they haven't had that. They haven't given them

enough. That is the problem. I'm sure Roy McKinnon will be hoping as

the game wears on they can get that crowd a little bit excited. Telfer

takes. It's Mikkelsen. Spectacular save by Matthews. That's better.

That has got this crowd off their seat. Mikkelsen, he does that so

well. He gets himself into great position. Drifting off the defender.

Very intelligent header towards the top corner. Matthews there with a

fantastic save. Fairly relaxed in the stands. Some of them at least! I

think if you are that age, if you are a little bit older I think

you're more nervous. Murray, fair play to him. He has United right up

deep into enemy territory. That's his game, isn't it? He chases

everything. You know, it's an opportunity from one end of the park

to another for United to put Hamilton under a bit of pressure.

The semi-final hero, Paul Dixon, drying the ball. Late run by Durnan.

He will get it back here. With Huge chance. It was a big one. The

centre-back right enough that it falls to. He doesn't make the best

of the opportunity. Leaning back a little bit. He's put under pressure.

It's over the bar. He's got to keep that one under the crossbar and test

the goalkeeper. He's got five goals this season, Mark Durnan.

Donati. Longridge is just on, to Crawford. Slowed their passing game

a little bit, Accies, in the last ten minutes or so. Bingham. Durnan

under pressure. He didn't really know where Longridge was.

Redmond. Oh, it's a lovely ball for Imrie. Well, well, he kicks the post

in frustration. Yeah, probably felt he should have done better. It's a

great cross into the back post. You know, Dillon has let it go. He's not

aware that Imrie is coming in behind him. He should be. It's a difficult

one for the winger to take. He's sliding all the way and just didn't

make good enough contact. Wouldn't be the worst result in the world for

Hamilton, 0-0 draw. At Now Douglas Park their results have been much,

much better. Dixon was fouled a way up the park there. It was. A late

challenge there from Redmond. Coming in late on Dixon. Nowhere near the

ball. The referee spotted it. Durnan's won it. What a save that is

from Matthews. I think there was a flag in any case. The keeper wasn't

to know that. No. He looked very sharp in dealing with it. It was

that type of looping header. Almost looping over the top of Matthews.

He's got a long reach. He stretches out and gets a good first on it.

Yeah, cracking save. It all breaks down for Hamilton this time. We go

into the closing 15 minutes of this first-leg. Skondras.

Docherty got into a good position. Longridge has nicked it off Dillon.

Crawford! And another golden opportunity is spurned by Accies.

Yeah. They've got more and more into the game and Longridge gets space

here. He looks up. He sees Crawford at the back post. Right on to his

foot. Both teams have missed terrific chances.

It hasn't been a 0-0 snow or draw. Quality could be better at times.

Both teams will feel they should have scored at times. Accies will

feel they should have scored a couple. . There has been room, but

the quality hasn't been there to find the back of the net. Spittal,

Donati. Oh, Murray, was he tripped in the box there? Steven McLean had

a long, hard think about it. It's going Hamilton's way. Yeah. You

know, it's a big decision for the referee. He has made a movement

towards the penalty spot. There is no doubt about that. Another yellow.

Simon Murray's off. His other booking was for diving in the first

half. Steven McLean has flashed another yellow in the face of Dundee

United's flailoff hero, Simon Murray, who has been sent off and

will now miss the second-leg. United without their top-scorer. Wow,

that's a huge decision from Steven McLean. I think his assistant has

helped him. I think there's a little bit of contact there. I don't think

that Simon hurl Murray has went down without any con be tact whatsoever.

He definitely gets a little touch on the ball. The boot comes through.

It's a penalty. A penalty kick, without a doubt. Simon Murray goes

off. He's their top-scorer in the play-off. Tony Andreu has won more

overall. That is a major let off of massive proportions there for

Hamilton Academical. McKinnon and his team are aggrieved by that. The

referee has made a movement towards the penalty spot, there is no doubt

about that. I think he thinks that it's a penalty. His assistant, who

is staring at. He is ten yards away. Chambers on the George Fox side.

It's a penalty. What a let off. You how important will this be. Come

Sunday evening if Dundee United are still a Championship side they will

look back to that and they will ask questions. Steven McLean, he had a

little think about it. It looks as though he's been overruled by Graham

Chambers. There is no doubt about. That you could see his body movement

from Steven McLean towards the penalty spot. Andreu goes down.

Free-kick. Docherty can't believe that.

There's nothing in it, is there? You know, I think there's a little bit

of sympathy there now for United. You praised Steven McLean earlier. .

He should have went with his first call. A loop over. It came off an

Accies' head. I'm sure the home fans will be hoping that the grievance

that these players will be feeling out there will spur them on to

something special tonight. Spittal will take, again. Out swinger. It's

another corner. Listen to the roar from the Dundee United supporters

now. Yeah. They are up for it, aren't they? They feel totally

aggrieved. Rightly so. They are up for it. They're trying to inspire

their team on to great things tonight.

Scott McMann, the be Accies defender who brought down Simon Murray there,

will also know it wasn't the right decision. He will know he got away

with that. He and his team-mates prepare to defend this latest United

set play. Eight to play. Of course, Hamilton have made all

three changes. We might have a ten on ten situation coming up.

Martin Canning hopeful that he will recover. Just six and a half left.

Might be a case that he just gets put into a deep lying midfield

position. He's not moving at all. He's struggling.

Yellow for Alex Gogic. In it comes. Here's Flood. It's the Nicholson. He

committed himself. -- Mikkelsen. What a great ball.

That was the Louis Longridge. Less than five minutes left. Of this

first left. Yes, and Hamilton have another player down. Knee in the

back, I think, from Matthews. A fair bit of attention, too. So Mark

Callan thinking the world is against him after getting the break and that

penalty not being given. It's almost farcical. He just com move. Can't

get himself back into an onside position. -- just can't move. The

whistle blows for full-time and a highly, highly controversial first

leg of this play-off final. Which is still very much in the balance. And

it looks as though the decision to send Simon Murray off, a second

bookable offence, the simulation. Certainly that cost Dundee United

the chance to win this first leg. Hamilton were like the walking

wounded at the end. Martin Canning will be the happy of the two

managers going into Sunday's second leg in Lanarkshire. It finished here

0-0. I understand that's part of

football. Decisions go against you sometimes. But the referees have to

get the decision to write because that could really have impacted on

us. Down to ten men, effectively a penalty to go up, so just, yes, we

are disappointed. I will give my players a lot of credit. They kept

going, even ten men. They put Hamilton under pressure for that

next five, ten minutes of the game. The game, it was probably a game of

2/2 the game. I think Hamilton was likely the better team in the first

half. We didn't get the -- get to grips with the ball. They were

really diving forward and were impacting the game. He has walked

off down the tunnel instead of coming over towards the bench. He's

on a short-term contract at the moment. He has gestured to some of

the fans on his way off. Has he played the last game for the club?

Absolutely. What did you tell them? Nothing. I told my team how

important is to recover quickly because the tie with him is still

very much in the balance, so my focus is on my players, my good

players, all united together, and they always -- they are desperate to

win games. I guess it was a good game to watch, I imagine. Probably

should have had one or two ahead. Second half as well, a couple of

opportunities. Working in the back post. More chances decent in the

game. The couple of opportunities in the box as well. But overall, I

think it comes down to a one-off game.

And so all to play for. So many talking points. We will get through

all of them in the next ten minutes. For a 0-0, not a bad game? Plenty of

talking points. Not bad quality for that score. They have been slow to

start in all their play-off games, Hamilton. They looked the better

team for 60 minutes. Created the better chances. Did well to come

back into it in the second half of the game. So much gnashing of teeth

when we try to change anything in the Scottish league. They do bring

something extra, though, don't they? Definitely a great introduction to

the Scottish game, and then at top level to give teams the opportunity,

and Hamilton and Dundee United went at it. Both teams gave 100%, gave it

all to the game, but just that final bit of quality missing when the

opportunities came across. We don't want to see these games defined by

refereeing decisions, but Simon Murray, the talk of the town,

basically, these two yellow cards. The first one was warranted for

sure, wasn't it? Definitely. It was a dive. No contact. Only three yards

from the ball. 13 yards from the goalkeeper. If he gets to the ball,

you can go in himself. It seemed a ridiculous decision to dive for me.

You don't want to see this. In the end, you know what comes afterwards.

That was a clear dive. And it plays in the minds of the officials later

on. Obviously. Then the second one comes in and this is not a dive,

this is a definite penalty kick. The referee has a fantastic view. Graham

Chambers. But for one reason or another, they contrived to give a

second yellow card. So the assistant referee basically says, this isn't a

penalty? I think he thinks it is. He's walking toward the penalty

spot, going to give the blow for the penalty. Then they have a con flag

of some sort. The flag comes up. I still think he thinks the referee

will say this is a penalty. He's got his own view and his own view is

very good. I don't think you should have changed his mind. His initial D

-- his initial view was to give the penalty kick and I don't know why he

let the assistant over all him, overall what was going through his

mind. You were saying, why don't they have a discussion face-to-face,

the referee and the assistant? He's the man in charge. He wanders over

to the assistant and says, listen, are you 100% certain there was no

contact? Because I believe it is a penalty. If he says, 100%, then fair

enough. It would have taken a few seconds, and then at least he's

taken that time. But just not the game for however many seconds, get

the right decision, and inevitably, referees would make less bad

decisions. There's no way Steven McLean can overall that. He gives

you his 100% opinion if you ask for assistance and then you go with it.

My feeling was that he thought it was a penalty and then he stopped

because of his assistant. He should have gone with what he thought was

right at the time, I think. In terms of Hamilton and Accies, they were

probably the better team, won't they? A game of two halves, but

certainly in the first, Hamilton were the better side. They've got

people here in knock back. You can see three players circled enter the

box. A great run here. But he goes with the wrong foot. Yes, tries to

flick it would be outside of his left foot and you are used to

opening up your right foot. And then you see his team-mate give away the

ball for the umpteenth time in the match, it has to be said. He

realises where the danger is. He is squared to the ball and Binghams

plays through. You've got to score those chances, though. A big

character there showing all sorts of bad character this season here! Wato

Kuate. It is as if he has been reading his own press since he's

scored that wonderful goal against James Norton team. He gave the ball

away on countless occasions, needlessly under no pressure at

times. This is just another example of that. I thought it was a very

poor performance from him and again you see ya, a heavy, heavy touch,

and he was doing this in the match on Friday. -- you see a very heavy,

heavy touch. Marc Tierney and has a go at him over lack of

communication. They were arguing over lack of communication

previously. This is when he just loses the plot. 'S petulant and

arrogant and idiotic. And then to go off the pitch and mock your own

supporters, another wee flash point, as he does here, going down the

tunnel. -- he is petulant. There is no way they can accept that type of

behaviour. No. Standing at the halfway line, waiting to go on, you

go and shake his hand even if you're not happy. Players don't like

substitution but you respect your team-mates. If you are unhappy you

deal with it in the dressing room, but not in the stadium, with all the

supporters, and then to have a go at the supporters as well. That was the

stroke that broke the camel's back, really. You also had to feel sorry

for Massimo Donati at the end is well. And Imrie. Because Hamilton

looked like they were hanging on at the end. They were hanging on. Rainy

into the rib cage here. He must be in absolute agony from that. I don't

know if it's going to be a broken rib, but bruised ribs, it's very

hard to continue with that. You thought this was a muscle strain.

Groin strain. He was thrown into the pen with injury and I think just

with the tension within the match, his muscles seized up. I think he

could be available on Sunday if he gets rest over the two days. With

Imrie it could be a different situation. What is your prediction

for Sunday? I would suggest both players practice penalties over the

next couple of days because they seem very evenly matched. But the

thing with Dundee United, they seem to get stronger as the game goes on.

They've got a great togetherness as they play. And just galvanise them a

bit. Who is going to win? United, because that is where my heart is.

OK, we will find out on Sunday. Live coverage that kicks off on 3pm, and

then join us the highlights at 10:35pm on BBC One Scotland to see

how it all unfolds. It's a busy weekend because on Saturday there is

a Scottish Cup final. The waiting is over for Aberdeen!

They are through to their first Scottish Cup final in 17 years!

Brendan Rodgers, Celtic take another step towards the treble! They are in

the Scottish Cup final! The Scottish Cup final, it is

mouthwatering. We have live coverage of the match at 1:15pm with

highlights at night at 10:05pm. Is there any way Celtic won't complete

the trouble? They are the two best teams in the country. But Aberdeen,

let's be honest, they need to have an off day. If both play at their

best, Celtic are considerably better and then they will get the trophy

and the trouble. I expect it to be Celtic. You've been saying it for

weeks - it will be Celtic, won't it? What to Aberdeen need to do? They

need to score first and they need to defend an awful lot better than they

have been doing. Thank you very much to both of you. We will see how it

goes in terms of the Scottish Cup final on Saturday. In terms of the

Scottish Premiership final, it hangs in the balance. 0-0 tonight. We will

see how it goes on Sunday. From all of us on the Sportscene team, for

now, good night.