The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Hazard – ‘I got lucky’ Dark Blues keeper reflects on top stop as Dee run continues.
Dark Blues keeper pulls off superb stop as side’s unbeaten run continues
AYR UNITED 0 DUNDEE 0
Conor Hazard claimed he got lucky with his superb penalty save which ensured Dundee a fourth successive clean sheet and extended their unbeaten run to five games.
Saturday’s goalless draw against Ayr United at rain and windswept Somerset Park means it’s as you were with still two points separating third and fourth in the Championship.
However, all that could change tomorrow night when the teams meet again in the sequel at Dens Park.
Hazard and his Ayr counterpart Ross Doohan came through the Celtic youth ranks together and neither was giving an inch in the testing conditions.
Hazard refused to be beaten for the fourth game in a row although he played a major part in conceding the spot-kick.
He appeared to call for Cammy Kerr to leave a crossfield ball into the box and then hesitated.
In the confusion that followed, Kerr tripped Michael Moffat who was preparing to take advantage.
Ref Steven Mclean pointed to the spot but Hazard redeemed himself, diving to his left to make a fine stop from Aaron Muirhead’s penalty.
Hazard tried to play down his stunning spot-kick save which was the pivotal moment of a clash watched by a band of 312 travelling fans.
He said: “It was all about a bit of luck. I just picked a side and luckily it was the right side.
“From that performance I don’t think we were good enough and all the boys recognised that.
“It was a very hard-fought game, the conditions weren’t great to be getting the ball down and playing.
“We’re delighted to come away with a point and look forward to rectifying that on Tuesday.
“Ross and I get on well. He’s a really good goalie, we’ve been at Celtic since we were both 16.
“It’s good to come up against him and we’ll see what happens on Tuesday.
“There are still many games to go. Our aim obviously is to get into that play-off place and get promoted.
“We are just taking each game at a time and we’re looking forward to getting that opportunity.”
The draw saw James Mcpake’s men chalk up their fourth clean sheet in a row and stretched their unbeaten run to five games.
The Dark Blues are still two points behind Ayr ahead of the rematch tomorrow evening.
Dundee were on the front foot right from the kick-off on Saturday and Kerr took only three minutes to threaten the Ayr goal with a run and shot which forced Doohan to push the ball away.
The home side hit back with a great break from on-loan Ipswich striker Aaron Drinan but his inviting cross was touched just wide by the inrushing Alan Forrest.
Graham Dorrans twice forced Doohan into action in a busy 60 seconds. His first effort was punched away while his second attempt from the edge of the box was comfortably saved.
Ayr carved out a good chance midway through the first half when Daniel Harvie’s perfect cross from the left found Michael Moffat in space but the veteran striker’s header was straight at Hazard.
Dundee came so close to taking the lead after 31 minutes. More good play by Dorrans set up Jordan Mcghee but his curling shot took a deflection before clipping the post and going behind for a corner.
Andrew Nelson replaced Mcghee at the interval as Dundee went for more firepower but they had a let-off in the 56th minute when Moffat turned home a Jordan Houston pass only for the stand-side assistant to flag for offside.
And then there was the best chance of the game for Ayr when they were awarded a penalty but Muirhead’s effort was superbly saved by Hazard.
Jordan Forster had a looping header saved while Kane Hemmings fizzed a thunderbolt wide as Dundee tried in vain to force the issue.
In the end neither side could make the breakthrough and had to settle for their second successive goalless draws.
Mcpake vowed Dundee will be better tomorrow night and insisted he wasn’t content with just a point.
He said: “It was a difficult day for football with not much played. Given the fact we conceded a penalty, I thought we showed great character and it was a great save by Conor.
“We showed a different quality today to what we showed on Tuesday night.
“I’m disappointed as we are never happy with a point.
“It was completely different from Tuesday when we weren’t happy with a point but we created loads of chances.
“Today was a different game and we showed great character and a real desire not to concede and we did that.
“But going forward we weren’t as good, a bit of that down to conditions and a bit down to the way the game was played.
“We’ll be better on Tuesday. “We’ll hope for better conditions but that’s not being critical of the conditions, there was a game played on Tuesday night and a lot of rain.
“There was a wind as well so it was difficult for both teams.
“That was evident in the way the game was played, there wasn’t much of the quality from either team which they have showed this season.”
Ayr player-boss Mark Kerr claimed his team did enough to win but revealed he is set to shuffle his pack tomorrow night.