The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Dundee’s Craig Wighton, second from right, celebrates with Roarie Deacon after opening the scoring in last night’s 2-0 friendly victory over Brechin City at Glebe Park.
Young striker scores first – and sets up second
BRECHIN CITY 0 DUNDEE 2
Dundee made it three out of three in pre-season with victory over Brechin City last night.
Craig Wighton was the star man, scoring one goal and setting up another as the Dark Blues followed up their wins in Paisley and Arbroath with one at Glebe Park.
Manager Neil McCann said: “I’m pleased with the win. We’re trying to get winning mentality into the team. The boys played some good stuff. It was another step up.”
Tom Hateley got his first taste of pre-season action from the start, while ex-St Johnstone man Paddy Cregg was given a game in midfield for Brechin as a trialist.
Hateley was close to scoring within four minutes when he brought down a Marcus Haber knock-down in his stride. It took a perfectly timed Gary Fusco sliding tackle to deny the former Motherwell man.
Dundee had begun the contest well and deservedly went a goal in front after 13 minutes. Roarie Deacon beat Willie Dyer, hit the bye-line at the right side of the box and chipped a ball to the back post where Wighton had a close-range finish.
The summer signing went on his own a few minutes later, cutting in from the wing and shooting over with his left foot.
Brechin had struggled to get out of their own half but when Lewis Spence coughed up possession in midfield the end result was an Isaac Layne shot that he wasted.
There was an even better chance just before the half-hour mark for the same man and this time he side-footed it wide.
Dundee regained control towards the break and McGowan made it 2-0 after good work by Wighton.
Scotland under-21 forward Wighton twice came close within the first three minutes of the second period – first with a chip that went over keeper Graeme Smith but didn’t have enough power on it, and then a cross/shot that drifted just wide.
It wasn’t until after the hour that the first substitutions of the game were made, with Ally Love and a trialist, Kalvin Orsi, coming on for Brechin.
Dundee then got in on the act a few minutes later, with all eight outfield subs coming on. They were Cammy Kerr, Kevin Holt, Darren O’Dea, trialist Glen Kamara, Scott Allan, Mark O’Hara, Faissal El Bakhtaoui and Randy Wolters.
El Bakhtaoui was the first of the eight to make an impression when he drifted across the Brechin backline and let fly from 20 yards out, his shot going over. O’Hara also came close but the game finished 2-0 to the visitors. Attendance – 911 Brechin starting XI – Smith, McLean, Dyer, Fusco, Spark, Dale, Lynas, Cregg, Jackson, Layne, Graham.
Dundee starting XI – Bain, Williams, McGowan, Deacon, Curran, Haber, Hendry, Spence, Hateley, Wighton, Waddell.
Referee – Don Robertson
We’re trying to get a winning mentality into the team. The boys played some good stuff. NEIL MCCANN