JUST LIKES THE GOOD OLD DAYS
McCann brings Dundee back to life
IT was just like old times for Neil McCann. Back at the club he started his career with, carving out a dramatic win and making a desperate situation suddenly seem quite manageable.
The 42-year-old managerial rookie insists he was always comfortable as his side clung on to open his reign as Dundee manager with a win and move out of the play-off position by virtue of ending a seven-game losing streak.
It did not always look that way. Suit jacket long since discarded to reveal a smart blue cardigan, he drove his right fist into an open palm, whistled to relay instructions and gestured furiously in the technical area as his men stood firm against a late rally.
Mark O’Hara’s effort and a Marcus Haber double had been enough to carve out a precious 3-2 lead despite replies from Louis Moult and Chris Cadden.
There was also a header at 3-1 from home centre-back Ben Heneghan that crossed the line and was not given, but that maybe just heightened McCann’s joy when the final whistle finally blew.
He entered the pitch to hug every one of his players and then walked to the away end to pay tribute to an exultant 1,259-strong travelling support, who seem delighted to have him back.
Dundee rolled the dice to replace Paul Hartley with the untested McCann with five games to go. Just like last time, it looks like it might work.
McCann came out of a 21-month retirement in February 2011 to play for free for a Dundee side that had been docked 25 points following administration.
He scored a last-minute winner against Raith on his first game back, eventually helping the Dark Blues dodge relegation from the old First Division, and admits he saw similarities as he celebrated with the supporters yesterday.
‘They have not given up. Absolutely not,’ said McCann. ‘And I think they see that we haven’t given up on it either.
‘I was here in a defiant season when the fans got behind us. There was a real siege mentality.
‘I asked for it again and, my God, I was not disappointed.
‘It was so good to be involved again. The most important thing for me going into Dundee was to stop the bleeding, stop the defeats.
‘With that, you sacrifice a wee bit of what you have going forward, but we worked on a game plan and became a wee bit of a counterattacking team just for today.
‘I know we came under pressure at times, but I was comfortable because I absolutely trust them.’
In truth, Motherwell controlled the first half without ever looking particularly dangerous. Moult did get a glimpse of goal on the halfhour mark after chesting down an Elliott Frear cross, but his shot from inside the area was weak and easily held by Scott Bain.
Dundee then produced the first shot of McCann’s tenure in the dying moments of the first half. Conveniently, it delivered the first goal, too.
A hopeful ball into the area from the left-hand side by Kevin Holt was dropped by Craig Samson under pressure from Haber. The ball made its way to O’Hara and he lashed it home.
Three minutes after the break, their second attack of the match brought goal number two.
Holt produced some lovely close control to take the ball to the bye-line and cut it back into the path of O’Hara. The midfielder’s shot was blocked, but it fell perfectly to Haber and the big Canadian striker converted.
The home side did get back into it when Moult controlled a deep corner from Frear at the back post and lashed an angled effort into the roof of the net past a suspectlooking Bain.
However, just before the hour, Dundee regained their two-goal advantage.
Craig Wighton put in a cross after making inroads up the right again, O’Hara delivered a diving header and the ball came off Haber before crossing the goalline.
‘It has definitely hit my thigh and gone in the corner, but no one cares who is scoring as long as we are winning,’ said Haber.
All hell was suddenly breaking loose with Motherwell involved in their latest controversial goalline call 13 minutes from time.
This time, a Heneghan header from a Lionel Ainsworth corner entered the goal before Tom Hateley hacked it clear at the post.
Linesman Anthony Cooper kept his flag down, though, and referee Steven McLean waved play on to the horror of the home support.
Undeterred, Cadden got his side back into it with ten minutes to play, sticking out a leg inside the box and turning home a low cross from Ainsworth.
It was to little avail. Motherwell are now 11th and the team looking at a play-off. This seems sure to be a dogfight until the end.