Boss McCann rues ‘wasteful’ Dundee

NEIL McCann says his Dundee side “absolutely deserved something” from their 1-0 defeat to Hibs last night but rued some wasteful finishing.

The Dark Blues came away with nothing, though, from their first Premiership fixture after the winter break as John McGinn’s 52nd-minute strike saw the Edinburgh side take all three points from Dens Park.

Both teams had chances aside from that and Neil reckons his side’s play should have yielded at least a point.

He said: “Although Hibs had chances, I thought we had good chances and I felt we absolutely deserved something from the match.

“I don’t think we were sluggish in the first part of the game because the gameplan was to contain Hibs a wee bit because we knew they would come out flying after their defeat at the weekend.

“We knew if we gave them space in the final third that they have three very, very quick players up top in Murray, Barker and Boyle so we tried to sit off and hit on the counterattack till the game settled down.

“We did and I thought we grew into the game, thought we played some really nice stuff but we were wasteful in front of goal.

“I can’t be too hard on young Matty Henvey, he is devastated he hasn’t taken the header. But I thought we performed well.”

The Dundee boss, however, could barely contain his anger with referee Don Robertson after goalscorer McGinn escaped a second yellow card for a trip on Glen Kamara.

Neil said: “The anger kicks in because John shouldn’t be on the pitch.

“I’d argue John is probably Hibs’ best player and it’s a cynical foul right in front of the referee, and it’s (apparently) not worth a yellow card.

“He booked my centre-back Jack Hendry for a similar challenge that John rode and got straight up — never a yellow — but he books him and John escapes a second, so I think it’s an absolute disgrace and that’s an advantage that would have helped us.

“We didn’t get it and I’m sick every time arguing with referees. I was desperate for him to come over to me and explain it, he explained it and I cannot believe the explanation.

“He said he didn’t deem it a promising attack and it was an innocent trip.

“A trip? That could have been a turning point but I am pleased because I thought the spark and energy was back (in our play).”

Young striker Matty Henvey had his chance to notch a first senior goal but powered his header wide in the closing stages of the 1-0 defeat to Hibs.