DUFC 3 DAFC 1 (aet)

United progress to the next round of the League Cup with a win against a very impressive Pars team after an early scare.

To say the Pars flew out the traps was an understatement. They battered us in the first half and you wouldn't have known we were the Premiership side and they were from League One. For the first 15 minutes we barely got out of our half and they deservedly went in front after a Rado-esque howler from Zwick in the goal. An effort from 20 yards looked comfortable, but Zwick let it slip through his gloves and over the line. Disaster.

They really could have extended their lead in the first half as we struggled to get into the game. They missed a golden opportunity when one of their players went round Zwick but dragged his shot across goal wide. They also hit the post in that first period after we had equalised, the impressive Morris bundling home at a corner.

We were better in the second half and really should have taken the lead in that period. McKay and Murray both missed golden opportunities while their keeper made a series of terrific saves, including a terrific late save right on the final whistle. In fairness Dunfermline also had a couple of opportunities on the break but they didn't control the game the way they had in the first period.

Extra time was totally controlled by United and we scored two quick fire goals. Scott Fraser, who again had a good game and looked like our most creative player, finally decided to have a shot and he was rewarded as it deflected in. The killer third came after a fantastic run from Spittal, cutting in from the left and beating at least four players before sliding it into the bottom corner. Messi-esque. Hilariously, in the build up to Spittal's goal, United recycled possession rather than clipping a ball down the line which provoked loud complaints from the support. Football fans are idiots.

In terms of players, Morris was our MOTM imo, closely followed by Fraser. I thought Morris dominated the defence and certainly second half and extra time was outstanding. Rankin played well again. Bad performances...Zwick made a mess of the goal, Telfer was poor and looked unfit, while I just don't understand why we signed Murray. He's awful and just doesn't look like a player at all. McKay didn't have his best nights work but I'll forgive him for that.

Final word on our 17 year old debutant Jamie Robson. He was thrown in simply because we had nobody else and if I'm honest he was out of his depth. I felt for the lad, particularly in the way we set up with a diamond midfield as he was left isolated quite a lot. A good learning curve for him but I wouldn't like to see him in the team at the weekend. There was a clown sitting near me though who thought it was a good idea to shout abuse at him throughout for every mistake, including classic shouts like "earn your wage ya fecking bassa" and such like. Thankfully he was shouted down by a number of the support. Utter bawbag.

Onwards and upwards and hopefully it's a corner turned. We'll wait and see, although I don't expect much from Saints on Saturday.