The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
No fedora this time as Dens men see off Gers
Dundee defeat Rangers at home for first time since Stainrod-inspired 1992 win
The last time Dundee beat Rangers at Dens they had fedora-wearing boss Simon Stainrod in the dugout.
Current manager Paul Hartley prefers a rather less flamboyant tammy but, regardless of the choice of headgear, let’s doff the cap to a battling Dark Blues team as they finally ended their Dens drought against the Ibrox men.
Back on August 15 1992, their goal heroes in a thrilling 4-3 success were captain Billy Dodds with a double, Ivo den Bieman and Ian Gilzean.
This time it was all about Mark O’Hara and Kevin Holt. O’Hara opened the scoring on 13 minutes with a sweet strike then Holt squeezed a free-kick home four minutes before the interval. Joe Garner pulled one back for the Light Blues but it wasn’t enough.
The victory was also Dundee’s first of the year and they have now gone seven in the league at home without defeat, stretching back to October. Oh, and they also swept into the top six.
The Dark Blues made three changes to the side that started the draw against Kilmarnock. Central defenders Kevin Gomis and Kosta Gadzhalov and midfielder Tom Hateley dropped down to the bench.
Into the team came Julen Etxabeguren, James Vincent and Craig Wighton, who had looked lively when he came on against Killie.
The visitors also made three changes, with Rob Kiernan, Lee Hodson and Joe Garner coming in for Philippe Senderos, Lee Wallace and Jason Holt.
Dundee started with a bang, attacking the Gers right from Vincent’s kick-off.
The ball reached Wighton on the left and he ran on before sending over a cross that O’Hara headed not too far wide of the post. A Martyn Waghorn strike at the other end was deflected over as Rangers tried to edge ahead but it was to be first blood to the Dark Blues in the 13th minute. It was a lovely sweeping move, again up the left, with Henrik Ojamaa sprinting up the wing before cutting the ball back across the box.
Waiting to pounce was O’Hara, who drilled a left-foot strike in off the right-hand post from 15 yards to get the home supporters celebrating.
Dundee were playing well and getting at the opposition when they could, with a Holt corner and a Marcus Haber cross both troubling keeper Wes Foderingham.
The visitors were forced into a change on the half-hour. Danny Wilson replaced defender Clint Hill after he had earlier suffered a head knock.
Two minutes later, Ojamaa fired wide for the Dens men from the edge of the box before the Ibrox side swept upfield and Garner’s header was about a foot wide of the post.
The Dundee fans were feeling ‘Glad all