Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
McGowan on the mark as Dundee get better of Blue Toon at Dens
DUNDEE got their pre-season off to a winning start as they defeated League One Peterhead 1-0 behind closed doors at Dens Park.
New boy Alex Jakubiak made a fine impression as he set up the only goal of the game, sliding Paul McGowan through to open the scoring in the first half.
James McPake’s first team line-up since lockdown kicked in saw a first look at new striker Jakubiak and centre-back Lee Ashcroft.
Trialist Daniel Church, who recently left Celtic, was given a chance to impress and earn a deal.
Danny Mullen, Shaun Byrne, Jamie Ness, Jordon Forster and Jordan Marshall sat out with injuries picked up in training.
Former Dees Ryan Conroy and Simon Ferry started for the Blue Toon.
It was Peterhead who had the first opening but Jack Hamilton was out to smother.
Dundee almost took the lead when silky play from Graham Dorrans saw him beat a man inside the area and stand a cross up to the far post where McGowan was waiting. His header, though, was somehow kept out on the line by Lenny Wilson in the Peterhead goal.
Declan McDaid would fire wide from 20 yards before Dundee made their possession count with McGowan knocking in the first goal of pre-season five minutes before the break.
And a lovely goal it was, too, as new boy Jakubiak slid his strike partner in behind and McGowan made no mistake, rounding the goalie and rolling the ball into the empty net.
The second half saw Calum Ferrie take Hamilton’s place and the young keeper had to be on his toes early on, keeping out a long-range Isaac Layne effort.
And again on the hour mark, Ferrie kept the Blue Toon out. First Ashcroft got a good block in before Ferrie was down quickly at his near post.