Dundee United 0, Rangers 0.

THE defending champions gained one more point to help their quest to

become the first club to win successive trebles, but they, and also

Scotland, have lost much more at Tannadice last night.

Rangers' international keeper, Andy Goram, had to be helped off midway

in the second half after having injured himself while clearing the ball,

and he left in obvious distress with what turned out to be a torn thigh

muscle.

Goram was playing in only his tenth match of the season after having

recovered from major knee surgery, and the Rangers' manager, Walter

Smith, said: ''The keeper will be out for two to three weeks.''

The keeper now will miss Scotland's friendly match against Austria in

Vienna in a fortnight and the Scottish Cup semi-final against Kilmarnock

on Sunday at Hampden.

Even though Rangers still need points to secure their sixth successive

championship, Smith had decided to rest key players, Mark Hateley and

Ally McCoist, who were on the bench, despite having to travel to Dundee

without three others who had played and were injured last Saturday. Gary

Stevens, John Brown, and Ian Ferguson were all left behind.

This meant Duncan Ferguson was able to start his first match since

last September, and Ian Durrant, who had not played since Dundee United

defeated Rangers 3-0 at Ibrox last December, also started.

However, the real surprise was the first sighting of 18-year-old Craig

Moore, an Australian full back. Most of the Rangers supporters among the

11,048 crowd were unaware of the existence of Moore, signed from

Australian Institute a year ago, never mind that he was on their team's

books, and considering so many of the Ibrox side's regulars were

unavailable -- Trevor Steven and David Robertson also are still injured

-- he did as well as could be expected on his debut in a match which had

some fierce tackling.

Indeed, it was down to luck rather than the humanitarian qualities of

the players which prevented serious injury. There was also much snarling

and complaining, and four players were booked, three of them, Gordon

Durie, Gordan Petric, and Andy McLaren in a five-minute period.

Richard Gough was cautioned just before half time, his crime being

dissent after Gary Bollan had charged into Moore, who went sprawling on

to the trackside in front of the main stand.

The only moments of genuine skill in this period were supplied by

Durie, who twice saw Guido Van de Kamp block good long-range shots, and

Stuart McCall who pounced on a Brian Welsh headed clearance. McCall's

volley from 30 yards was heading for Van de Kamp's top right-hand

corner, but at full stretch the keeper touched the ball away.

Only eight minutes into the second half Goram had to do the same with

a 25-yard shot from Billy McKinlay, who had twisted away from his marker

and into space, but the standard of play was still alarmingly mediocre.

However, a few minutes later Alex Cleland made good progress down the

right and sent in a deep cross which landed perfectly to coincide with

Bollan's arrival. His header was powerful and accurate, but Goram flung

himself to his right-hand post and saved.

Moore struck a long diagonal ball to the front of United's box,

Ferguson headed on to Alexei Mikhailichenko, but he headed wide from six

yards and then Van de Kamp saved at the feet of Ferguson.

Soon afterwards, Goram was helped away and his place taken by Ally

Maxwell. Craig Brewster was booked for having kicked the ball away.

Hateley was sent on to take over from Durrant 10 minutes from time,

but not even the big fellow, who has pulled Rangers out of trouble many

times this season, was able to apply the missing final touch.

DUNDEE UNITED -- Van de Kamp, Cleland, Malpas, Petric, Welsh,

McInally, Hannah, McKinlay, McLaren, Brewster, Bollan. Substitutes --

Dailly, Nixon, Main.

RANGERS -- Goram, Moore, Gough, McPherson, Murray, Pressley, McCall,

Durrant, Durie, Ferguson, Mikhailichenko. Substitutes -- Hateley,

McCoist, Maxwell.

Referee -- M Pocock (Aberdeen).