Dundee’s Highland win is a statement of ruthless intent
HAVING failed by the slenderest of margins to pip Ross County to a top-six place last season, this was a win rich in significance as well as pleasure for the Dark Blue travelling contingent in Dingwall. Significant, too, in the way victory was executed.
Rory Loy, with supreme timing, stepped into the Kane Hemmings-shaped hole in Paul Hartley’s plans, netting twice and initiating the move that led to the all-important third. With influential front man Greg Stewart injured, this was a dramatic reminder that one man’s departure is another’s opportunity.
Hartley still fears the possibility of losing Stewart next week, given Birmingham City’s enduring interest after two failed bids, but this was the kind of powerful individual and all-round team display to soothe those niggling anxieties.
‘Greg Stewart got injured late on Thursday and we thought he was going to be OK, but didn’t train,’ said Hartley, dispelling conspiracy theories surrounding the striker’s absence. ‘We’d expect him to be back Monday or Tuesday … hopefully.
‘There are no bids. Do we expect them? Possibly.
‘This is a venue we’ve struggled with over the last few years, but I felt our discipline was terrific today. Defensively, as a team we were great — a real, solid unit.’
Faissal El Bakhtaoui only made the Dundee bench after completing his move from Dunfermline on a three-year deal, but he would make an appearance, coming on for Danny Williams in 73 minutes.
Dundee were ahead in 13 minutes. Williams threaded the excellent Mark O’Hara into the right side of the box. O’Hara was sharp enough to clip the ball across under pressure and found Loy free to stab the ball past goalkeeper Scott Fox from a few yards.
The hosts lost Martin Woods to injury after only 26 minutes, before Loy, at his most dangerous combining with O’Hara, saw a low strike brush the outside of the left-hand post with Fox at full-stretch.
But Loy’s moment was to come again, four minutes before the break.
Michael Duffy’s corner flashed across the County box from the left and referee Bobby Madden adjudged Jay McEveley to have shoved O’Hara to ground.
Loy stepped up and sent Fox the wrong way from the spot to double the lead.
The home temptation was to over-commit — and the impulse cost County dearly after 62 minutes.
On the break, Loy’s long ball picked out lively Celtic loanee Duffy down the right with only midfielder Ian McShane holding fort. The Dens attacker easily found Paul McGowan unmarked to squeeze a shot under Fox’s body and into the back of the net. Michael Gardyne, County’s best performer, had a fine strike tipped around the post by Scott Bain, and the corner led to the home side’s consolatory goal.
From McShane’s right-side corner, Liam Boyce drove hard at goal and the outstretched toe of substitute Craig Curran diverted the ball past Bain.
But the County mini-revival came to nothing in the lashing rain.
‘The penalty was a big moment,’ Jim McIntyre, the County manager, stressed. ‘I have watched it again and there is contact, so I don’t have any complaints.
‘The biggest thing for me, though, will be the consistency (from referees).’