Dee throw away lead

PLAYERRATINGS Bain heroics can’t keep Caley out in the Highlands

POOR defending cost Dundee a valuable victory in the Highlands as they threw away a two-goal lead at Inverness Caley Thistle.

Scott Bain was the stand-out for the Dark Blues and you have to think the season could have been much worse if not for the former-Alloa man.

He made save after timely save throughout Saturday’s match — including a Billy Mckay penalty — but in the end couldn’t keep Caley out.

He was excellent but the overriding feeling is that he just had far too much to do.

Bain stopped Caley debutant Henri Anier in a one-on-one in the first half, faced two penalties, saving one, and followed those up with plenty more.

In the end, the stats say he stopped eight Inverness efforts.

You can’t expect to win many games if you’re giving away that many opportunities to shoot.

And that’s the way it unfolded at the final whistle.

The end of the first half, however, had seen Dundee pass with flying colours.

Both sides had created opportunities in the opening exchanges with the home side closest as Carl Tremarco struck an effort against the post.

They also had a goal chalked off for offside but the Dark Blues were getting joy of their own, with Marcus Haber winning just about everything when the ball was played up to him.

He set up first Mark O’Hara and then Paul McGowan for efforts from outside the area but neither tested the keeper.

Then came the opener. Cammy Kerr’s wee shimmy opened up some space and he whipped in a cracker of a cross which Haber was only too happy to nod in.

And things were looking even rosier for the Dark Blues just a few minutes later as returning captain Darren O’Dea headed in the second from Tom Hateley’s corner.

Dundee were in a great position, two goals ahead of the team bottom of the table and without a win in 12.

A team whose heads should have dropped and never came back up.

All game, though, the visiting defence was never sure of itself. O’Dea was doing his bit, defending well and trying to pull his rearguard along with him.

Kevin Gomis had a day to forget and Julen Etxabeguren definitely needs to wipe his memory clear.

He was shaky all match, letting in Anier in the first half, and had a shocker of a second, conceding both penalties.

Ten minutes after the restart, the Spanish defender was penalised for holding from a set-piece. He picked up a booking for that and Mckay picked up a home debut goal from the spot.

Then, with 15 minutes to go, he climbed all over Anier to concede another spot-kick.

This time, though, Bain spared Julen’s blushes as Mckay put his penalty to the same place and the Dundee keeper was smart to his intentions.

Caley weren’t done, however, as Greg Tansey followed up yet another save from Bain to grab a late goal to earn a point and keep the Highland club within touching distance of Dundee and the rest of the relegation battlers.

It really was a mixed day for the Dark Blues, though, because at times the attacking play was excellent.

Haber was in fine form and Ojamaa seems to be a good foil for the big targetman. They opened up Caley on plenty of occasions with McGowan blazing over and Ojamaa denied on the line, both with the score at 2-1.

At the back, though, they certainly need to smarten up and start protecting Bain a bit better — he can’t save them every time.