The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Dundee strike four in extra time to polish off Diamonds
After extra time. Game finished 2-2 after 90 minutes
Dundee boss Gary Bowyer hailed the impact of his substitutes as four goals from the bench saw off Airdrieonians in their Scottish Cup clash at Dens Park.
The Dark Blues left it late to see off their League One opponents, heading into extra-time after the 90-minute scoreline read 2-2.
Calum Gallagher had opened the scoring before Paul Mcmullan made it 1-1 at the break. Zak Rudden then put the hosts in front before Callum Smith levelled things once more.
Cammy Ballantyne saw red for a second booking in stoppage time at the end of the 90.
And from there Dundee took control as Derick Osei knocked in an extra-time brace before Fin Robertson and Luke Mccowan struck to complete the scoring at 6-2.
“The most important thing is getting through and that’s what we’ve done,” Dundee boss Bowyer said.
“It took 30 minutes more than we would have liked.
“I’m not being patronising saying this but credit has to go to Airdrie because I thought they were terrific.
“They started better than us, we were too slow and sloppy in our play.
“Once we got in front we had enough chances to kill the game, but we let them back into it and it was a very poor goal to concede.
“We got the luck with the sending off and that changed it but once that happened we were very clinical.
“The impact of the subs was exactly what we wanted and that has been a theme of the season for us.
“That’s the challenge for players when they come on in games.”
Osei moved on to three goals for the season, Rudden to five while Mcmullan has four in his last seven. But for 20-yearold Robertson it was a major career milestone.
His 112th-minute goal was his first-ever goal for Dundee and a first senior strike.
And Bowyer was full of praise for his attitude in a season where time on the pitch has been limited.
“I’m delighted for him,” Bowyer added.
“He’s found it tough. But what we’ve asked of him the last month or so he has really started to come to the fore. We had some honest conversations me and him.
“But he’s been responding in the right way and I’m delighted to see him get his first goal. He made a real impact when he came on.”
Dundee goalie Ian Lawlor went off in the second half after colliding with a post as he made a save to keep the score at 2-2.
He has yet to taste defeat this season, having played in the last five games.
But it’s too early to say if he’ll miss next week’s trip to Inverness.
“He hit his head but I don’t know if it was concussion,” Bowyer said.
“We’ll have to wait and see how he is during the week. It was a crucial save.”
Bowyer stuck with the same back-line that saw the Dark Blues through at Partick Thistle and last week against Raith Rovers.
The back three was in place but things changed in attack with three enforced changes.
Max Anderson and Joe Grayson were out with injuries picked up against Rovers while Josh Mulligan was sent home from Scotland U21 duty with a knock.
However, he was fit enough for the bench. Incoming were a first start for Shaun Byrne since August 6, a return for Ben Williamson and a spot up front for Cillian Sheridan.
That only lasted 45 minutes as Rudden took his place at half-time and made a big impact in the second half.
The opening 45 minutes was not a half to remember.
It was the Diamonds who came closest to opening the scoring, only for Lawlor to deny them with a superb sprawling save.
The rebound from Andrew Winter’s effort dropped in the six-yard-box but Ryan Sweeney was there to stick his head in where boots were flying, winning a free-kick as Jean-pierre Tiehi swung for the ball.
The Dark Blues upped their game in the second half, however, with Lee Ashcroft denied on the line four minutes after the break.
And they finally broke the deadlock on 56 minutes.
The only goal of the game came through super forward play from Zak Rudden.
The substitute latched on to a Ben Williamson pass, beating his man and laying the ball on a plate for Mcmullan to finish at the far post.
Dundee would suffer a blow with in-form frontman Zach Robinson limping off after an hour of play.
And Airdrie were still well in the game and were inches away from a leveller as Reegan Mimnaugh curled a superb effort off the crossbar from 25 yards.