The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Holt says Dee showed real
Scorer believes battling qualities could be the key for Dark Blues
DUNDEE 1 HAMILTON ACCIES 0
Kevin Holt insists Dundee showed they possess fighting qualities as well as footballing finesse following Saturday’s vital victory over Hamilton at Dens.
The Dark Blues, who have received plenty of plaudits for the way they have tried to play this season, had to dig deep against an Accies side who were taking no prisoners in a game with high stakes.
Holt scored the only goal of the game, while home keeper Elliott Parish saved a late Hamilton penalty to all but make Dundee safe in the Premiership for another season.
However, Holt admits that if the Dark Blues had displayed more of the qualities they showed on Saturday throughout the campaign, relegation would not have entered the equation.
“I think over the piece we battled and deserved it to hold on for the win,” he said.
“That’s maybe what’s been missing this season (battling qualities).
“We have been trying to play football no matter what the results are like. We have just kept playing the way we want to.
“But there always has to be that fighting edge in your game because teams in this league are not just going to let you pass around about them. They get stuck in and it is up to you to rise to that. Maybe we haven’t done that enough this year.
“I thought we were great in the first half and deserved our lead, but then they came and chucked everything at us in the second 45.
“We know what Hamilton are like: they grind it out every week and battle for everything.
“They are sitting clear of the bottom two just now so it is obviously working for them.”
Dundee took the lead in the 18th minute when Craig Wighton set up Holt, who produced a fine finish from 12 yards.
Just five minutes after the restart the home side had a huge scare when a Rakish Bingham free-kick clipped the outside of Parish’s left-hand post.
The nervousness in the stands increased in the 64th minute when Bingham was played in and Parish had to parry a shot at his near post.
The Dark Blues broke straight up the pitch with Cammy Kerr galloping into the Hamilton box, but he could not keep his feet and the chance was lost.
Hamilton had a gilt-edged chance to equalise in the 85th minute thanks to a spot-kick after Dundee sub Daniel Jefferies had crashed into Marios Ogkmoe.
The normally-reliable Dougie Imrie stepped up but Parish saved the penalty with his legs and then gleefully grabbed the loose ball with the home support erupting in delight and relief.
Holt paid tribute to the man who teed him up for his goal after Wighton’s recovery from what had looked like a season-ending cruciate operation in July.
He said: “Craig was brilliant and is like a new signing for us.
“He has bulked up in the gym while he has been injured and the way he takes players on, we have maybe lacked that this season.
“To have Craig back better than ever is great for the team.
“It is brilliant for Craig as well to return stronger after what was a bad injury.
“He has plenty of years ahead of him to play great football.”
Holt is now looking for Dundee to make it two wins in a row when they travel to Dingwall tomorrow night.
He said: “Coming into the last five games, we wanted to win all of them.
“Obviously we lost at Motherwell despite playing quite well.
“So we are definitely looking to go to Ross County on Tuesday night and win to look above us rather than below us,” he said.
Holt is out of contract at the end of the season but said he is in the dark over whether he will be offered a new deal.
He said: “Nothing has been spoken about yet.
“I think the club are maybe just waiting to make sure we are safe.
“So we will just wait and see what happens this week.”
They get stuck in and it is up to you to rise to that. Maybe we haven’t done that enough this year. KEVIN HOLT