The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Adam spot on to spare Dee blushes
Alloa Athletic Dundee
Alate Charlie Adam penalty saved Dundee from defeat at Alloa Athletic as the sides shared six goals in the fog at the Indodrill Stadium.
The home side had led 1- 0 and 3-1 as the Dark Blues struggled to create. They had star man Adam to thank, however, as the midfielder inspired them to a late comeback.
Dundee saw two enforced changes with Gra h a m Dorrans missing out after testing positive for Covid19 last weekend. Centreback Lee Ashcroft also called in sick on the morning of the game.
That meant Cammy Kerr deputised at centre half with Christie Elliott in at right-back while Pa u l McGowan returned in the centre of the park. There was a spot on the bench for 16-year-old defender Jack Wilkie, son of former Dee Lee.
It was a frantic opening with neither side giving each other a second in possession. Both were pressing hard without the ball and quality on it was lacking.
As the fog descended in Clackmannanshire, chances were few and far between. Adam had an effort from 25 yards blocked behind for
Dundee’s only real chance before going behind.
Alloa’s main threat had been set-pieces and that’s where the goal came from. After the Dark Blues had cleared the initial danger the ball was lumped back in and Robert Thomson stole in at the far post to open the scoring.
Five minutes before the break things got worse for James McPake’s side as striker Jonathan Afolabi picked up an injury and had to be replaced by Osman Sow.
It was almost 2-0 as Alan Trouten was left one-onone with Jordan McGhee but his second e ff o r t bobbled beyond the far post after the first had been blocked.
Within minutes of the restart Dundee were level. Nothing had been created first half but they changed that swiftly in the second period.
Adam swung in a testing cross and the clearing header dropped to Declan McDaid, who made no mistake in finding the bottom corner from the edge of the area.
Level terms only lasted four minutes as the home side bundled in their second of the evening. Dundee failed to deal with another set-piece and the ball fell for Kevin Cawley to strike at goal. Calum Ferrie kept it out but the rebound fell for Alan Trouten to bury.
And on the hour mark they had the chance to make it 3-1 as substitute Lee Connolly cut inside Elliott and Kerr. His shot from 28 yards flew wide, however.
It was 3-1 on 62 minutes as Dundee’s evening went from bad to worse. Steven Hetherington fired the ball across and Trouten was there again, this time prodding the ball beyond the despairing Ferrie.
There was no denying Alloa were deserving of their lead with Dundee desperate. They did, though, find a way back into it.
First, Dundee thought they had halved the deficit with 20 minutes remaining as McGowan turned inside the area and fired goalwards. Keeper Reece Willison, though, was equal to it with a superb save to tip over the bar.
They did just that five minutes later as Adam’s quality from set- pieces told. His free-kick from the wing cracked off the far post and hit Kerr as he fell into the goal, taking the ball with him.
In an incredible contest, Dundee were level again with six minutes to go. Ref Alan Muir said handball when Jo n Robertson blocked an Adam shot. And Adam himself said thanks very much as he smashed in the penalty.
And they thought they had won another penalty in the 89th minute as Declan McDaid hit the deck under an Alloa challenge.
T he referee, though, brandished a yellow card for simulation.
That would be the last opportunity of a frantic night in Clackmannanshire as Dundee continued their stumbling start to the Championship campaign with just a point making it five from four matches.