AYRSHIRE MIRACLE WORKER
Si: Losing to 10-man rivals has Dun us in
DUNDEE striker Simon Murray has admitted the Dark Blues’ 3-2 defeat to 10-man Kilmarnock on Tuesday night hurt even more than usual.
Dens boss Neil McCann branded his players “unprofessional” after the Taysiders contrived to throw away a 2-1 lead at Rugby Park.
Hitman Murray – who is on loan from Hibs – believes Dundee lacked a ruthless streak to see the game out and blamed basic mistakes for costing them.
The Dark Blues sit ninth in the Premiership just two points above the relegation play-off spot.
And Murray – who suffered relegation from the top flight with Dundee United in 2016 – said: “Obviously we’re devastated because we were leading 2-1 against 10 men.
“We are doing enough to win games but errors are letting us down. We need to get those mistakes out of the system.
“The manager was not happy, just like the players.
“We have to learn from that quickly. It feels worse than a normal defeat.
“At the stage we were at we shouldn’t have lost that game.
“When you are 2-1 up against 10 men you don’t think you are going to lose the game. It’s just hard to take.
“Maybe we didn’t put our foot on the pedal enough to try to get the third goal.”
Despite former English international defender Steven Caulker dazzling on his debut for the Dark Blues it was still not enough for McCann’s side.
Murray admitted that while the performance of Caulker was the only bright light Dundee now face a must-win match this weekend away to Partick Thistle.
The 25-year-old striker said: “Steven looked solid and was a threat at set-pieces.
“We now need to focus and plan ahead for Saturday and hopefully we can get a positive result.
“We are going to have to get results quickly but obviously it’s hard.
“We have to start picking up points and be solid both at home and away.”
But the same could not be said of referee Nick Walsh’s reputation as he left Rugby Park with nothing but angry criticism ringing in his ears after a bonkers game saw him flash eight yellow cards and two red.
emailed: “I said last year that Walsh was the worst ref in Scottish football. My opinion hasn’t changed after his display at Rugby Park. He is so full of his own importance he is a clone of Willie Collum.”
said: “Although it turned out to be a great victory for Kilmarnock having not turned up in the first half, I’m still not happy. That must have been the worst standard of refereeing I’ve seen. Nick Walsh? It was more like Bradley Walsh.”
emailed: “Why on earth should Alex McLeish even be considered for the Scotland manager’s post that he abandoned the moment a club came calling for him? This would be a significant backwards step and massive show of weakness.
“On current form there is only one man to consider – Steve Clarke.”
said: “We’ve been bandying about all these names for the Scotland job – Clarke, McLeish, Walter Smith. But what about the forgotten man of Scottish football and tactical genius, Alistair McCoist?”
said: “Jim Eadie of Maryhill wants to see John Brown and Barry Ferguson in charge of Scotland. Well maybe they should bring in Richard Gough too and every other good bluenose for that matter.
“We need a manager who has absolutely no vested interests in either side of the Old Firm.”
said: “I’d like to thank my fellow Troon resident Mal Carruthers for taking
‘That must have been the worst standard of refereeing I’ve ever seen. Nick Walsh? It was more like Bradley Walsh’
such an interest in all the empty seats at Parkhead. I’d like to know when he ever plans to look at his own team’s affairs instead of obsessing about Celtic.”
emailed: “It’s been long known for many years now that Parkhead is only full for Europe games and the thought of watching The Rangers.
“They add to their measly crowds with season ticket holders that don’t turn up while Ibrox is full every game.
“Rangers have always had the most loyal support and always will have. Celtic only opened their top tier when the big team came back up.”
said: “I’m getting worried about planet Rangers – their fans are comparing Alfredo Morelos’s howler against Ayr with Patrick Roberts’s miss against them.
“Also, apparently Celtic fans only turn up when it suits compared to Gers getting 50,000 every week.
“Next they’ll be saying their club is making a profit and are the real league leaders. Rangers are taking fake news to a whole new level.”
emailed: “One reader said yesterday you wouldn’t pay £800 for Morelos after that miss. That’s the same player who scored a couple of minutes later then added another in the second half.
“Plus it was a terrible bobble due to an atrocious pitch. The reader must have switched off the match after the ‘sitter.’”
said: “I see Chris Davies is telling us Zenit St Petersburg are a Champions League quality team. So why are they not in it – and if they’re that good why did they not win the Russian league? I feel an early excuse for another European drubbing coming.” said: “Fraser Wishart being touted for the chief executive’s position at the SFA might seem like a good idea. “But poacher turning gamekeeper doesn’t always work out for the better of those he leaves behind.” CALL THE HOTLINE TODAY FROM 11 TILL 12 NOON on: 0141 309 3306 or email us: hotline@dailyrecord.co.uk