The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Determined Dark Blues pass big test
Dundee heed manager’s warning to build on home win over Rangers with victory against Staggies
ROSS COUNTY 0 DUNDEE 2
Dundee’s Cammy Kerr has revealed that having beaten Rangers at Dens last week, travelling up the A9 to the Highlands on Saturday in a bid to make it two wins in a row against Ross County was an even tougher assignment.
Just in case any of the players doubted that fact, boss Neil McCann rammed home the message beforehand.
The squad that arrived in Dingwall certainly took the warning on board with the Dark Blues securing another three points thanks to two early Christmas crackers from Mark O’Hara and Faissal El Bakhtaoui that lit up a dominant overall team performance.
Kerr said: “We took bits from the Rangers game into the Ross County match in terms of resilience.
“We knew Friday probably wasn’t our best footballing performance.
“But you can’t just settle for winning against Rangers in front of the cameras, then come up here to Dingwall and take it easy because it is never easy against Ross County.
“I just thought we were great and as I said, we showed our resilient side once again and got the two goals we desperately needed.
“The gaffer mentioned before the game – and he was so adamant about it – that it is easy to do it when the cameras are there but coming up here it is different and you know you are going to be up against it at times.
“So you maybe have to camp in and wait for your moment because these teams are going to come at you and pump balls into the box.”
The full-back added: “You have to be strong and deal with these things.
“I thought we did that from the top of the pitch from Sofien Moussa and then Marcus Haber when he was on right back to big Ell (Elliott Parish) in the goal.
“I think it is our first clean sheet here in the top league.
“Ell actually mentioned to me on the bus, ‘Have we had a clean sheet up here?’
“I said I wasn’t certain but we would make sure we got one today! So it was brilliant.
“Ell at the back has been great for us. He has been really vocal and he has helped me as well so it is great.”
Dundee were quick out of the blocks at the Global Energy Stadium with Roarie Deacon trying his luck with a ferocious drive from 20 yards that flew just over the Staggies bar.
The Dark Blues went on to take the lead in the 18th minute – and what a goal it was.
O’Hara, who had scored two against Rangers, continued from where he left off against the Glasgow side, controlling the ball before advancing and thumping an unstoppable shot from nearly 25 yards past helpless County keeper Aaron McCarey.
McCann’s men then came close to extending their lead in the 33rd minute in bizarre circumstances when El Bakhtaoui swung a cross in from wide right and the ball bounced off the top of McCarey’s bar.
Dundee, though, headed down the tunnel holding a slender but comfortable one-goal advantage.
County had a big scare in the 53rd minute when McCarey spilled an El Bakhtaoui shot but no Dundee player could take advantage.
Shortly after, the Dark Blues came mighty close to making it 2-0 when Jon Aurtenetxe sent a free-kick into the home box and Josh Meekings stooped low to head just wide of McCarey’s lefthand post.
O’Hara had another pop in the 63rd minute from the edge of the County box but this time his shot flew straight into McCarey’s arms.
The Staggies then had a chance of their own when sub Billy McKay sent a header on to the roof of the Dundee net.
El Bakhtaoui had another attempt from 20 yards in the 78th minute with McCarey diving to palm the shot away to safety.
However, the same Dundee player made no mistake in the 89th minute.
After a County attack broke down Glen Kamara sent a superb cross-field pass to El Bakhtaoui and he kept his cool to lob McCarey from the edge of the box to make it two and seal all three points for his side, to the absolute delight of the vocal travelling support.