Hemmings stars in Dundee win

RAITH ROVERS 1 DUNDEE 2

Dundee geared up for the new season with a hard-fought win over Championship opponents Raith Rovers at Stark’s Park.

Paul Hartley’s side, who were fresh after returning from their recent pre-season training camp in Budapest, gained a worthwhile exercise in Fife where goals from summer signings Kane Hemmings and Julen Etxabeguren saw them overcome Raith, whose reply came from James Craigen early in the second-half.

Most of the Dark Blues’ new recruits gained valuable game time, with Hemmings and Kevin Holt in particular catching the eye.

As early as the first minute, Hemmings had a speculative shot which cannoned back off Raith keeper David McGurn’s right-hand post.

Ray MacKinnon’s side came close when striker Lewis Vaughan saw his snap-shot hit Scott Bain’s bar.

However, on 23 minutes Hemmings hit the target with an accurate, low left-foot shot after Greg Stewart and Nick Ross had combined well.

On the stroke of half-time, Hemmings came within inches of putting the Dark Blues further ahead.

The former Barnsley striker turned swiftly inside the box before unleashing a shot which McGurn did brilliantly to palm round the post.

Dundee made a raft of substi- tutions at half-time and one of those, Etxabeguren, made it 2-0 on 48 minutes.

Stewart’s cross was completely missed by Raith keeper McGurn and Spanish star Etxabeguren was on hand to simply prod the ball over the line from close-range.

But Raith hit back on 52 minutes when Craigen waltzed into the visitors’ penalty box and from eight yards swept a shot past Bain.

That gave the hosts a lift and shortly after Craigen tried his luck from distance only for Bain to thwart him with a smart save to stop his effort from nestling in the top corner.

Dundee held on, however, and next up for them is Saturday’s away trip to face Brechin.

Picture: SNS Group. Kane Hemmings scores his first goal for Dundee.