Dee show blue grit

PLAYERRATINGS Inverness dominate ball but Dundee grind out win

A DETERMINED defensive display saw Dundee shoot off bottom spot in the Premiership and into mid-table as they defeated Inverness 2-1 at Dens.

The victory was a vital one — their third in four games — and sees the Dark Blues rubbing shoulders with the top half, trailing sixth-placed Motherwell on just goals scored, and leapfrogging opponents Caley in the process.

The way the bottom half of the top flight is shaping up, it won’t be a surprise if Dundee are propping up the table again at some point but it makes much more pleasant reading for Dee fans at the moment.

The move to three at the back is starting to pay dividends and the signing of targetman Marcus Haber has brought an extra dimension to the team — one that was sorely needed.

The Canadian gives the side a focal point and occupies defenders — something Craig Wighton is taking full advantage of.

Caley had controlled the opening spell of the game, dominating possession without creating much of note, but the first time Wighton got a hold of the ball in a dangerous position, he made them pay.

Getting the ball on the corner of the area, he drove at the defence before switching onto his right foot and placing the ball in the corner. It was a classy goal and the way he took it you wouldn’t think it was his first of the campaign.

Wighton was causing all sorts of the problems and should have won a spot-kick minutes later.

Instead of hitting the deck, the youngster tried to get his shot off and sadly his honesty probably swayed the referee’s decision.

Wighton apart, Dundee didn’t really offer anything i n the first half, however, and t hey’d have been delighted to be one ahead at the break — Caley seemed to be able to combat the home formation really well without the ball but couldn’t get through it with all their possession.

That meant the Dark Blues weren’t able to get any sort of passing going but held their opponents at arms length without the ball.

The second half was better from the home side and Dundee made sure of the points on the hour mark through an unlikely route.

Defender Kosta Gadzhalov headed in just his second goal for the club from Tom Hateley’s excellent free-kick delivery.

There was plenty of defending still to be done, though, with Paul McGowan heading a Losana Doumbouya effort off the line before the striker nodded another decent chance wide.

The Highlanders did get on the scoresheet late on as left-back Carl Tremarco headed in a looping cross with 10 minutes to go.

That saw some fraught defending in the closing minutes from the home side. It was all hands to the pump and, with Caley pushing everyone up in stoppage time, Wighton broke clear, only to be dragged back by Lewis Horner. The Caley man saw red but would barely have got the taps running for his early bath with the final whistle sounding seconds later.

It wasn’t the prettiest of victories for the home side but the main thing is Dundee are off the bottom.

If they can combine determined defending with good finishing like this, they’ll keep it that way.