Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Sheer grit and helped Dee to
DUNDEE came away from Hamilton with their first win in 10 games in what was described as a fighting display from their manager.
The battling qualities were definitely evident but it seemed like the performance of Marcus Haber and Craig Wighton as a strike partnership contributed to the victory.
Canadian Haber has obviously been brought in to score goals but it was his overall play that impressed most on Saturday.
The 27-year-old used all his experience to bring players into the game and showed some good touches to hold the ball up as he waited for his team-mates to support.
The 6ft 3in forward also won a lot of flick-ons, which meant the ball wasn’t continually being returned to the Dark Blues rearguard from any long kick from keeper David Mitchell.
This is the one thing a defender wants to help ease pressure during a game.
With Marcus winning those balls, it meant the defence could push the midfield on to support the front two with more confidence.
It also meant Craig Wighton played in probably his best position, just off the main striker, where he is able to pick up the ball in holes behind the opposing midfield or run in behind for the flick-ons from a target man.
In time he will gamble on the touches from the centre-forward and, the more the relationship grows, the better it will get.
The young Dundonian just has to add goals to his good play.
Elsewhere on the park, Tom Hateley sitting in front of the back three gave more stability to the team, too.
It gave Paul McGowan and James Vincent a licence to support the front two and also to get in the box.
It is no surprise the goal Dundee scored came from the two midfielders being in the box from a cross.
Vincent put pressure on the defender at the back post from the cross and, when it wasn’t cleared properly, Gowser was on hand to have a strike from the edge of the box, which saw the ball end up in the back of the net.
At the opposite end, Dundee’s three centre-backs were aggressive and went tight when they had to, which gave the Hamilton forwards very little time or space to do anything.
The trio defended their area well and didn’t look as suspect at set-pieces as