Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
WINNING WAYS
Dee edge thriller as United marchon
NOTHING in life is simple when it comes to being a Dundee fa n at t he moment.
Take Saturday’s Championship game against Dunfermline at Dens as an example.
It appeared the Dark Blues were in cruise control as they led the Fifers 4-1 with just over 20 minutes to go.
When you add in the fact that Stevie Crawford’s visitors were also down to 10 men following Greg Kiltie’s dismissal for two yellow cards after 62 minutes, the three points were well and truly in the bag – right?
Well not quite – the Pars hadn’t read the script.
Dundee were passing the ball around for fun, using their man advantage to keep the visitors chasing shadows.
However, when the home side allowed the ball to run astray, it was punted into the home half with Jordan Forster and Dunfermline striker Kevin Nisbet giving chase.
That the Pars man won the race wasn’t brilliant for Forster, who seemed to be running on treacle. However, how Nisbet’s shot from a tight angle managed to beat Jack Hamilton in the home goal only the big goalie will know.
Now, losing one goal against 10 men is bad enough but shipping a second is utterly calamitous.
That, however, is exactly what Dundee did as, incredibly, Lewis Martin’s bouncing effort somehow found its way past Hamilton and into the home net.
In the space of three minutes the Dark Blues had gone from a team in total control to a team in total disarray.
The home fans were in shock and so were the Pars, who couldn’t believe they now had a lifeline in the game.
And a few set-plays into the Dundee penalty area over the final 15 minutes had the Dark Blues faithful peering through their fingers.
Credit where credit’s due, however, James McPake’s men saw it out for a much-needed three points and a first win in five league outings.
Indeed, bar those late lapses, the Dens men showed why they should be top-four stick-ons come the end of the season.
Declan McDaid’s fine run and cross led to the opener after 15 minutes. Danny Devine slid in to finish with aplomb, although, to be fair to the Pars defender, it was a ball he had to play with Danny Johnson lurking behind him.
The visitors struck back instantly as a ball over the top gave Forster a problem and, when Nisbet rolled the ball back across the area and it was fired at goal, Ryan Dow was on hand to smack it into the home net.
And the former Dundee United man enjoyed celebrating in front of the home fans.
But Dundee took it on the chin and, within 10 minutes, had regained the lead with a goal which was a carbon copy of the one they scored against Arbroath the previous week.
Cammy Kerr provided the delivery and Kane Hemmings cushioned a delightful header beyond Ryan Scully and into the far corner.
Paul McGowan quickly added a third as he smashed home at the far post after being set up following good work by McDaid.
Danny Johnson almost made it four just before the break but Scully made a terrific stop.
However, the former Motherwell man wasn’t to be denied and, just after the restart, he steered the ball into the net after a Hemmings effort had been blocked.
It was impressive stuff from Dundee against a team which had won their previous three league games.
If the first 69 minutes was encouraging, however, the last 20 or so highlighted the fact Dundee are still fragile following a few knocks this season.
The only way to eradicate those fears is by winning more games – starting at Partick this Saturday.