The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Dark Blues keeper Bain makes a point at Dens
Stopper pulls off string of saves as draw takes Dundee off the bottom
DUNDEE 1 HIBERNIAN 1
It wasn’t the win they wanted, but Dundee finally got off the mark in the Premiership as they drew 1-1 at home to Hibs yesterday.
The point, earned by some superb goalkeeping from Scott Bain, took them off the bottom of the table.
The hosts took the lead after just nine minutes when Kevin Holt coolly stroked the ball home from the penalty spot after Roarie Deacon was floored inside the box.
Anthony Stokes grabbed a deserved equaliser on 39 minutes as Hibs finished the first half the stronger side.
The second period then saw Bain take centre stage, with a string of excellent stops to keep the scoreline level.
The Dark Blues had made just one change to the side that lost narrowly to Aberdeen up at Pittodrie eight days previously.
Striker Marcus Haber was out injured and in came midfielder Paul McGowan to play in a more advanced role.
That meant frontman Faissal El Bakhtaoui, who had also been hurt during the Dons game, was passed fit and joined McGowan in a two-man forward line.
There were no fewer than four changes for Hibs following their surprise home loss to Hamilton Accies.
David Gray, Marvin Bartley, Vykintas Slivka and Brandon Barker came in for Efe Ambrose, Lewis Stevenson, Dylan McGeouch and Danny Swanson.
On four minutes, the visitors had Dark Blues keeper Bain working as he had to dive to his left to push away a 25-yard shot from Barker.
Dundee had a chance through Scott Allan on eight minutes, but, as the former Easter Road man burst into the box, he took too long to tee himself up and lost his chance to shoot.
However, just a minute later it was 1-0 to the Dens men.
The goal came from the penalty spot after Dundee winger Deacon had gone down under a challenge from Steven Whittaker.
There seemed some doubt about the decision but up stepped full-back Holt to place the ball just inside goalie Ofir Marciano’s left-hand post with a confident sweep of his left foot.
On 19 minutes, Hibs tested Bain again and it was Barker once more with a vicious strike from outside the box that was punched away for a corner.
El Bakhtaoui then gifted the Edinburgh men possession in midfield and it looked like the breaking Stokes would level after being played in by Barker but Bain did well to save.
Allan sent over a terrific cross on 31 minutes that was met by the head of Holt but saved by Marciano.
Hibs were knocking on the door and, on 38 minutes, they came closest yet to an equaliser. A Stokes strike was deflected to Murray and the former Dundee United player spun and shot, with Bain diving to make a great save to keep his team ahead.
Neil Lennon’s side were dominating now and it was no surprise that they levelled just a minute later.
It was a well-worked goal from Hibs, with the near-post flicked finish from Stokes off a Whittaker cross seeming to take a nick off Dundee defender Kerr Waddell on its way into the net.
The visitors, who brought on Ambrose for Darren McGregor at half-time, were nearly ahead on 52 minutes but Murray curled his shot wide when it looked easier to hit the target.
Five minutes later, Dundee brought on Randy Wolters for James Vincent as they tried to find a spark.
But it was the men in green who were doing most of the attacking and Bain had to come to the rescue to save from Bartley after he had played a one-two with Stokes.
John McGinn then tested the Dundee goalie with a shot from distance that the No 1 clutched to his chest.
The match was getting a bit fiery now and Stokes was booked for a daft push on keeper Bain.
On 67 minutes, the Dens goalie saved his team again when he raced out to block at point-blank range after Barker had been sent clear by a great pass from McGinn.
The heroics from Bain were getting ridiculous and he was at it again when he dived to his right this time to palm a Stokes drive around the post.
Hibs took off Murray for another Murray, Fraser, while McGeouch replaced Barker.
On 80 minutes, Dundee got up the pitch and almost ended up scoring, with El Bakhtaoui sending his low shot just a few inches past the post.
With Mark O’Hara now on for Glen Kamara, the Dark Blues escaped again on 86 minutes when Stokes headed just past at the back post. Stokes was thwarted again by the keeper, this time his shot was saved down low.
A point is a point, though, and Dundee had Bain to thank for this one.
Attendance: 6,004.