The only way is up
Dundee remain rooted to bottom of table as Livvy profit from visitors’ errors
FORGET about the finer details. Of all the disastrous aspects of this demolition, it was the simplicity of Dundee’s failings which proved to be the most shocking.
Four goals. Four set-pieces. One almighty mess. If Jim McIntyre was in any doubt of the challenge he faces as their new manager, his first match in charge displayed this team is not stable.
Declan Gallagher’s 18th-minute opener for Livingston was the start of the Dens Park club’s troubles. Their inability to learn from mistakes — non-existent marking from freekicks and corners — became the theme of a dreadful afternoon.
After the defender’s free header, captain and centre-back Craig Halkett did likewise prior to the interval before Steven Lawless’ second-half free-kick was never in danger of being challenged by the visitors.
Alan Lithgow’s late header completed the scoring by Livvy’s three-man defence and summed up the day for Dundee. So much for that new-manager bounce.
The Taysiders remain bottom, with one win secured all season. These are certainly desperate times.
As Neil McCann’s replacement, McIntyre does not require serious detective skills to work out where things went wrong on his dire debut in the dugout.
‘In a nutshell, we didn’t defend set-plays,’ said the 46-year-old. ‘We highlighted the Livingston strengths before the game, we talked about it during the last couple of days.
‘We showed them what a big threat they are from set-plays and told them we could not give away silly free-kicks because it is one of their major strengths.
‘But, equally, you need to stand up and be counted when it comes to man-to-man defending and we’ve not done that today.
‘We’ve been punished four times which is not good enough and we can’t accept that. I won’t accept that.
‘It wasn’t as if we were done by really good play. But it doesn’t matter, it’s the ugly side of the game we need to do better. Unfortunately for us that has been our undoing.
‘When you’re bottom of the league and on a run like we’ve been on, the confidence drains very quickly. It’s about trying to get through that.’
McIntyre is still searching for an assistant, with his preferred choice and former No2 at Ross County Billy Dodds causing unrest among Dundee fans, who are still riled by his objection to a deal to take the club out of administration in 2011.
‘There are a couple of candidates,’ added McIntyre. ‘It has been well documented that I would like to bring Billy in but that is proving difficult.
‘It is a sensitive subject. We’ll wait and see. I have nothing to tell you at the moment.’
After a week of drama, the early stages of this encounter almost went entirely to script.
Livvy failed to make the most of a corner on 11 minutes and the ball fell to Dundee left-back Calvin Miller, who ran clear. And kept running. Indeed, he did well to sprint a good 40 yards, holding the ball long enough to allow Kenny Miller to advance into a promising position. A pass was slipped into the returning former Lions playermanager, he shifted on to his right foot but his 20-yard shot curled wide of the far post.
The visitors’ promising start was wiped out by the opener for Gary Holt’s men after 18 minutes.
Keaghan Jacobs’ free-kick was delivered to the back post where Gallagher outjumped Dundee centre-back Ryan Inniss to head beyond goalkeeper Elliot Parish.
Inniss tried to make amends by nearly pulling his side level. From Calvin Miller’s corner on the left, the delivery appeared to be poor but Inniss found room to prod a shot straight at goalkeeper Liam Kelly five minutes before half-time.
It turned out to be another wasted opportunity — and one which Livvy made them pay for. Two minutes before the break, Jacobs floated in another free-kick from the left straight on to the head of unmarked captain Halkett for a simple, glanced finish.
A couple of entirely preventable goals left Dundee searching for answers in an all-too-familiar mess at the break.
The third goal arrived 14 minutes from full-time. Of the three conceded by Dundee, this was the worst of the lot.
Lawless’ free-kick from the right was teasing. Despite unmarked Lithgow’s presence, the defender failed to add a touch as the ball sailed into the far corner.
There was debate as to whether Lithgow made a connection, but team-mate Lawless was the man hailed as the scorer.
In the 89th minute, Livvy netted a fourth. Substitute Steven Lawson’s corner from the left found Lithgow unmarked — yet again — and he headed the ball into the net.
Holt remains unbeaten as Livvy boss, with his side rising to fourth spot in the Premiership.
Remarkably, every outfield player in the regular starting XI has now scored for the club this season.
Expressing his delight, Holt admitted: ‘I would rather get them from everyone.
‘It is great if you have a 20-goal striker but those 20-goal strikers cost a hell of a lot of money, so you have to share it about and we are trying to do that.’