County’s confident star wants national service
SHOULD Davis Keillor-Dunn fail to fulfil the considerable promise showcased at the Global Energy Stadium on Saturday, one thing is certain. It won’t be down to timidity or shyness.
Ross County’s Sunderland-born youth academy graduate displayed a refreshing confidence both on and off the park after turning in a sparkling performance on his home debut and first senior start.
The 19-year-old winger, a Premiership title-winner with County’s development league squad last season, has only one full 90 minutes under his belt but was already talking up his Scotland Under-21 ambitions after earning the man-of-the-match award in this draw with Partick Thistle.
None of this should be taken as a sign of arrogance. The youngster’s enthusiasm and honest outlook is infectious.
As Sunderland as Steve Cram in his accent, he feels his future lies in the dark blue of both County and Scotland, courtesy of Dundonian grandad Marshall Keillor.
‘As a young boy playing in front of the home crowd, I just wanted to get on the ball as much as I could to impress the fans and the gaffer,’ said Keillor-Dunn. ‘One thing I’ve never had a problem with is confidence. Every time I get the ball I look to score or create for others.
‘If you’re nervous, it’s going to affect your game. There’s no point. Just put it to the back of your mind and go and make the fans happy. Get them off their seats.
‘I just want to get points on the board and get Ross County up the table. The only target for me is first-team football at this club and, hopefully, as my grandad is Scottish, to play for the Under-21s.
‘I just want to do whatever I can to succeed. My grandad came to Sunderland for work. He’d love to see me play for Scotland. It would be a massive achievement and I would love to do it sometime in the future.’
Keillor-Dunn’s performance justified a level of swagger and confidence unusual in one so young. His touch was sharp and every movement and delivery was intelligent and menacing. Equally, he was never shy in barking out demands to more seasoned team-mates.
His luck was out with a header cleared off the line in the first half and a missed header in the second, while he also created a number of chances that County’s strikers squandered. But that was just the story of the Dingwall club’s day.
Against the run of play, Thistle led from the 22nd minute after Blair Spittal’s breakaway strike. For all County’s dominance thereafter, the points seemed to be heading to Glasgow before Alex Schalk won and tucked away an equalising penalty after 86 minutes.
It was a deserved reply for the hosts, who passed up an eye-watering number of scoring opportunities throughout the 90 minutes.
For Thistle, the consolation was a first point of the season to lift them off the foot of the table and break a run of eight league defeats dating back to last season.
County keeper Scott Fox had paid for his uncharacteristic howler against Rangers by dropping to the bench. Aaron McCarey, formerly of Wolves, replaced him for only his sixth start since arriving in July last year.
The hosts had three or four decent chances in the first ten minutes. Keillor-Dunn’s pinpoint cross was met by a strong Craig Curran header that spun only just beyond keeper Tomas Cerny’s right-hand post.
With eight minutes gone, Michael Gardyne released Thomas Mikkelsen on the right and the big Dane’s cross was met sweetly by the head of Keillor-Dunn, but Danny Devine cleared off the line.
Partick began to settle and Kris Doolan’s quick thinking caught County flat for the opener on 22 minutes.
A throw-in was awarded on Partick’s right flank and Doolan spotted a rapid burst forward by Spittal. County’s startled rearguard had no time to recover before Spittal fired a 12-yard shot past McCarey. Keillor-Dunn’s tenacity almost paid off when he lost and then won back the ball while crowded by Partick jerseys outside the box. Feeding Gardyne on the right-hand side,
the attacker’s cross was then headed wide by Mikkelsen.
County blew another a great chance after 51 minutes. A sweeping counter-attack ended with Ross Draper’s low ball into the middle teeing up Mikkelsen. But he seemed to dally momentarily and, while Devine’s desperate block spun the ball up in the air, Keillor-Dunn headed off target from seven yards.
Just when County’s hopes were fading, Conor Sammon’s mistake led to Jordan Turnbull pulling down sub Schalk in the penalty box and the Dutchman levelled calmly from the spot.
County might even have won, with a Draper header brilliantly saved by Thistle’s substitute keeper Ryan Scully.
It was ultimately a frustrating day for the Jags, but defender Devine admitted: ‘A draw was probably fair result in the end, but we feel the win is coming. We just have to stick together and things will turn for us.’