NO STORM IN DEE CUP
Honours are shared as Dorrans strikes as Dundee hit back to deny rivals city rule
A GIANT orange banner draped from the upper tier of the Eddie Thompson Stand declared: “This city is ours.”
But Graham Dorrans’ secondhalf equaliser after a fifth-minute Nicky Clark breakthrough showed Dundee refuse to accept their neighbours’ sense of supremacy.
United may have moved 14 points clear of Inverness at the summit ahead of Caley Thistle hosting Arbroath today.
However, this derby was more of a moral victory for a Dee side terrorised once at Tannadice already this season then beaten 2-0 on their own patch.
Seventeen points still stand between the pair but the Dark Blues showed they can still be a match for the runaway leaders, whose 100 per cent home record in the league was wiped out.
Boss James McPake singled out derby debutant Finlay Robertson, who made his Dee bow in the final game of last season, as a driving force as well as midfield stalwart Dorrans.
He said: “We have shown character before. I’ve never questioned the character of my players because I know them and see the work they do.
“Graham is too good for this league. That’s why we’re delighted to have him.
“I probably shouldn’t have left Robertson out of previous games. Looking back, he’d only played four or five games. I shouldn’t have done it.
“He’s playing live on TV. He had turned 16 and just taken a Higher then played live on TV against St Mirren (in his debut). He got man of the match in a Betfred Cup game. He’s played in his first derby at 17. He deserves it.”
Sell-out signs had gone up before Christmas Day although it was no surprise Dee tickets were slightly harder to shift after a double dose of derby heartache.
Kane Hemmings had already surrendered the title race before Alan Muir blew the whistle as he insisted it was all about following United up via the play-offs.
They didn’t help themselves when Louis Appere played it down the left for Jamie Robson to overlap and swing in a cross.
Clark peeled in front of Josh Meekings at the near post to beautifully flick the ball high past Jack Hamilton into the net for a seventh goal in 10 games.
Dee could easily have buckled. Instead they put on a display of desire, albeit Paul McGowan took things too far when he took exception to a challenge and shoved Robson to the deck.
Both got away with a warning while Sean Mackie copped a card for a late challenge on Ian Harkes.
Robertson then sprung the offside trap with a pass that found McGowan, who controlled with one foot and shot with the other, only for Benjamin Siegrist to make a one-handed save.
Norwich scout Grant Holt and Rangers’ John Brown were at Tannadice, no doubt to keep tabs on Lawrence Shankland.
Sure enough the 21-goal striker had the last chance of the half, failing to keep his header down from Robson’s cross. Five minutesafter the restart Dee levelled despite Hemmings’ cross from the left being headed out by Liam Smith.
The ball fell to Dorrans who took a touch with his right, switched it to his other side then fired a low past Siegrist for his first Dundee goal.
United were rattled as Shankland, quiet by his own lofty standards, hit the side netting after peeling off to the back post.
Dee sub Andrew Nelson got booked and was lucky not to walk for kicking the ball away. By now it was a midfield battle as Cammy Kerr’s cross came off Nelson’s shoulder and into Siegrist’s arms.
Parity had been restored in Dundee but just for one night.
United boss Robbie Neilson said: “We spoke before the game about getting it wide and in the box. With Shankland and Clark in there, it’s a good plan.
“We got caught up in the derby atmosphere – you kick it, we kick it, all set-plays. We’re in a really good position in the league, we’re delighted where we are.
“We now have to concentrate on building on this.”
UNITED – Siegrist 7, Smith 6, Watson 7, Reynolds 6, Robson7, McMullan 6, Butcher 7, H ark es 6, Appere 7, Clark 7 (Sporle 77, 2), Shankland 7.
DUNDEE – Hamilton 7, Kerr 6, McGhee 7, Meekings 7, Marshall 7, McGowan 7, Robertson 7, Dorrans 7, Mackie 7, Hemmings 7, Johnson 6 (Nelson 62, 2). Referee: Alan Muir.