The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Legzdins pays team tribute after Dee keep clean sheet
Goalie Adam Legzdins says two clean sheets in three games shows Dundee are “tightening things up” as they head into the business end of the Championship season.
The 3-0 victory at Alloa on Friday night was the Dark Blues’ best league result of the season and also saw Legzdins notch his second clean sheet in four appearances for the club.
The pressure was on James Mcpake’s side after a poor 3-1 home loss to Ayr last Tuesday but the former Burnley and Birmingham keeper was delighted to help his team respond in the best manner possible.
“Ayr was disappointing, there’s no hiding away from that,” said the 34-year-old.
“But the good thing about this league is you have another game so quickly. That’s the best thing – a week spent on the training ground waiting for the next game sometimes doesn’t do you any favours so it was good to get out there again.
“We knew what we had to do and did it very well.
“It was a tough week – three games in seven days is tough for anyone.
“I’m delighted to get a clean sheet and it was important to bounce back from Tuesday.
“These games happen but I think we put that right on Friday and fair play to the manager and staff for giving us the platform to perform better. We did that.”
The final 3-0 scoreline may have been a convincing one for Dundee in the end but they had to work hard for their victory against a well-drilled Alloa side.
A positive start from the Dark Blues had faded before the hosts had a decent spell themselves. During that, however, Dundee and, in particular Lee Ashcroft, had been a real threat from corners.
Shortly before the break they made that count as the defender nodded in Paul Mcgowan’s delivery.
After the restart, a carbon copy brought goal No 2 at the other end as Ashcroft trebled his Dark Blues goal tally in the space of 15 minutes.
Young midfielder Max Anderson finished smartly with 10 minutes to go to cap an impressive performance from him and the team.
However, the work wasn’t yet done as the Wasps continued to fly forward and tested Dundee’s resolve with a succession of set-pieces.
Legzdins and his backline, though, stood strong and the goalkeeper was delighted with the night’s work.
“It’s important we see out games and when we do score three we do our jobs at the back,” he said.
“We’ve let a few teams back in and Alloa are a really well-organised outfit.
“I know they are sitting bottom of the league but you can see why teams drop points here.
“They work hard and have some good players so for us to come away with a clean sheet shows we are tightening things up.
“We are showing a bit of streetwise nous when under pressure now.”
The particular stand-outs for Legzdins were the two men directly in front of him. Ashcroft picked up the man of the match award after his dominating performance but the goalkeeper also had a word of praise for 19-year-old Sam Fisher, making just his third appearance for Dundee.
Legzdins said: “Everyone to a man earned the clean sheet on Friday.
“The back four were brilliant. Ashy was obviously outstanding and showed a real man’s performance. He has done ever since I’ve been here to be fair.
“And I thought young Sam Fisher showed excellent maturity to come through what was a hard game for him.
“Their striker Innes Cameron was very clever, made good runs and made it really difficult for Sam.
“But what a way to respond to come out second half and look like the good, composed player we know he is.
“I’m really happy for him because I’ve been in those games where it seems nothing is going for you, you get the ball in the wrong area, at the wrong time after making an error.
“I thought he showed real maturity to come through that – he was excellent.”
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We are showing a bit of streetwise nous under pressure