Dundee ride out resurgent Raith fight-back to reach final
Dundee win 3-1 on aggregate
DUNDEE s ur v i ve d a slight scare last night as they succumbed to defeat against Raith Rovers at Dens Park – but still cemented their place i n next week’s Premiership play-off final.
James McPake’s promotion hopefuls had put themselves in pole position thanks to their comprehensive 3-0 win in Wednesday’s first leg of this Premiership play-off semi-final.
But the Dark Blues couldn’t hit those heights again and failed to sparkle in this televised clash which Raith won courtesy of Lewis Vaughan’s stunning 21st minute strike.
John McGlynn’s visitors merited their first-half but let the below-par Taysider’s off the hook by not making more of their outfield superiority to overturn the deficit from the first encounter.
Dundee looked relieved at Don Robertson’s final whistle and will now face either Kilmarnock or Ross County in the Premiership play-off final next week, with the first leg at home on Thursday followed by the return next Monday in their quest to secure a dream return to the top-flight.
McGlynn’s men arrived on Tayside knowing they had nothing to lose in the wake of their heavy midweek defeat.
McGlynn changed things by throwing on big striker Gozie Ugwu from the start in the hope of unsettling the Dark Blues who’d kept five clean sheets in their last eight games.
Dundee had blown Raith away 3-0 at Stark’s Park on Wednesday thanks to Jordan McGhee’s double allied to substitute Osman Sow’s late clincher. And they knew an early goal would kill off any lingering hopes Raith had of mounting some kind of comeback.
But it was the visiting side who threatened first when Daniel Armstrong cut inside Cammy Kerr and fired a leftfoot shot which Adam Legzdins did well to hold.
At the other end, Dundee switch defence into attack when Paul McMullan released Jason Cummings who swiftly cut in on his favoured left-foot.
Cummings looked all set to pull the trigger but saw his shot deflected wide.
A few minutes later, Charlie Adam struck one of his textbook set-pieces which picked out Lee Ashcroft, but the Dundee defender couldn’t keep his effort down. However, Raith were given some much-needed hope soon after. Regan Hendry’s deflected ball fell to Vaughan inside the box. With his back to goal, striker Vaughan turned superbly before smashing a 12yard shot beyond helpless Legzdins and into the far corner of the net. It was no more than the Fifer’s deserved for being on the front-foot and refusing to believe this tie was over.
Dundee, though, missed a glorious chance to level matters six minutes before the break.
Kerr cut the ball back for young Max Anderson who’d surged into the box, only to see his close-range shot saved by the legs of MacDonald.
Dundee knew they needed to raise their game after the break to avoid giving their opponents any further incentive.
Adam was at least beginning to exert his influence, although most of his crosses into the danger area were being mopped up by Fernandy Mendy.
McPake made a change in 56 minutes by replacing Cummings with Swedish striker Sow in a bid to force an equaliser. But it was McGlynn’s men who still looked the more threatening side. And in 63 minutes Armstrong caught a glimpse of goal, only to see his effort blocked.
That was a let-off for the hosts who still couldn’t seem to find their stride and appeared more edgy at the thought of conceding a second goal.
Dundee found themselves on the back-foot towards the end but dug deep to get through to their upcoming showdown.