Loons’ positive test forces Dens Park tie call-off

Dundee boss James McPake says “the right decision was made” to call off their tie with Forfar last night due to a positive Covid-19 test in the Loons squad.

The late cancellation saw the Dark Blues awarded a 3-0 win and three points in their Betfred Cup group.

Dundee have had to wait since March 10 to return to competitive action and will have to show more patience before getting back into the action.

McPake told The Courier: “It is frustrating because we had worked all preseason to get ready for this game, to get started in the competitive stuff but you have to recognise there are bigger things than football.

“The health of everyone at Forfar, their player and their family is the priority. The right decision was made, even though it’s disappointing we can’t play the game.”

Instead of the match, gaffer McPake put his squad through their paces in an impromptu training session at Dens Park with striker Danny Mullen and left-back Jordan Marshall both featuring following their injury lay-offs.

They head to Highland League champions Brora

Rangers on Saturday in their second Group B match and McPake expects his players to “be even more eager” to get going at Dudgeon Park.

“The boys trained really well and we look to Brora on Saturday now ,” he added.

“T he players are all desperate to get back to competitive football and all focus is now on Saturday. They’ll be even more eager now to get going, having to wait a few more days.

“We’ ll watch Brora at Easter Road tonight and be ready for the weekend.”

The announcement that the game was called off came two hours before kick- off with the SPFL issuing a statement confirming the walkover for the Dens Park club.

It read: “The SPFL has awarded a 3-0 win to Dundee FC in this evening’s Betfred Cup tie between Dundee and Forfar Athletic, after For far Athletic informed the SPFL that they are not able to fulfil the fixture.

“Forfar Athletic informed the SPFL this afternoon that they had today been informed that one of their players had tested positive for Covid-19. The player is now self-isolating.

“The club is now liaising with the Scottish FA and Test and Protect to establish whether any other players will need to self-isolate.

“As this process will not be completed in time for this evening’s match, Forfar Athletic informed the SPFL that they will be unable to fulfil the fixture.”

An SPFL spokesman added: “Unfortunately, this is the second of tonight ’s scheduled Be tfred Cup fixtures which we have required to cancel and is further evidence of the very challenging season we are facing.

“We have real sympathy for Forfar Athletic, who were looking forward to competing in their first competitive match of the season.

“However, consistent with the announcement in respect of the Falkirk v Kilmarnock match, any team unable or unwilling to field a team in a Betfred Cup Round 1 group stage tie will forfeit the match.

“Accordingly, Dundee FC have been awarded a 3-0 win in the tie.

“We wish the player concerned the very best in his recovery and will continue to liaise with Forfar Athletic in the coming days.”

Forfar vice-chairman Alastair Donald admitted it had been a difficult day for the League One outfit but he insisted his club did “the right thing”.

He told the BBC: “Since it came up around 2.50pm, all hell broke loose. We had to get the people involved who needed to be.

“At the back of your mind, you want to do the right thing.

“As fate would have it, we’re scheduled to play Hibs next week and have a Covid-19 test lined up for Thursday night.

“The first-team squad need to have that if we’re playing Premiership opposition.

“We’ve had very little time to digest what the bigger picture looks like – we’ve had to just deal with tonight.

“That( League One opener against Dumbarton) didn’t come

into the equation. We weren’t thinking ahead, we simply had to make a decision.

“Could we make assurances that all of our players would play football Covid-free? The answer was no, we couldn’ t give that guarantee at all.

“That’s it, the decision’s taken.”

Donald admits he is worried about the longterm future of lower league clubs as the global pandemic continues to cause havoc.

He said :“We didn’ t think we’d see spectators in this side of Christmas so we factored that in and budgeted for it.

“But the direction of travel hasn’t really been good since we made the decision. It’s going to get worse before it gets better.

“I can only speak for us, we’d find it really difficult financially (if fans aren’t allowed in stadiums until March or April).

“It would be extraordinarily difficult for us to survive all season without fans but we’ll do what we have to.”

Dundee youngster Lyall Cameron will spend the 2020-21 season on loan at Peterhead.

The midfielder signed a new three-year deal with the Dark Blues on Monday, alongside fellow young talents Josh Mulligan and Max Anderson.

Mulligan swiftly headed out on loan to former Dee Jim McInally’s Blue Toon for the coming campaign.

And he’ll be joined by 17-year-old Cameron at the League One outfit.

Midfielder Kyle Fleming joined Annan at the end of September.

EXTRA SESSION: Dundee were put through their paces at Dens last night after their Betfred Cup opener was called off.

Forfar vice-chairman Alastair Donald.