By Sean Saranczuk
September 22 2003

Dundee United were able to breathe a sigh of relief when a double from Charlie Miller handed them their first win of the Bank of Scotland Premier League season. The 2-0 result makes worrying reading for Partick Thistle, who now replace United at the bottom of the table without a single victory and just two points to their name.

As the only two sides in the SPL still to record their first wins of the season, the pressure was on both Partick and Dundee United before the game.

But it was Thistle who seemed hungrier for that elusive first victory when the game kicked off and were unlucky not be ahead after just five minutes.

A Jean-Yves Anis cross found Stuart Taylor and he knocked the ball into the path of James Grady just a few yards out.

The former Ayr man fired a shot at goal but watched in disbelief as former Jag, Alan Archibald, made a superb goal-line clearance to keep the scores level.

A free-kick 30 yards out provided Dundee United with their first real chance of the game. Danny Griffin produced a powerful effort but was denied by a good save from Kenny Arthur.

However, with just four minutes of the half remaining, United took the lead. Andy McLaren's corner was met by Jim McIntyre who tried his luck with a header. The chance was not cleared properly by the Partick defence and the ball broke to Miller who rammed home the opener.

Partick had a decent penalty claim waved away after 58 minutes when Stuart Taylor went to ground under pressure from Chris Innes but the referee was unimpressed and the game continued.

However, it was the Tannadice side who found the back of the net again when Miller grabbed his second goal of the day in the 63rd minute.

Jason Scotland's cut-back from the by-line found Miller unmarked 16 yards out and he made no mistake when he drove the ball into the top left-hand corner of the net.

Miller tried for a hat-trick when he took a free-kick from 30 yards out with only a few minutes still to play, but the effort was held by Arthur.