Regan’s redemption after spot of bother

THERE has been plenty evidence recently of Regan Charles-Cook refusing to let his head drop. On and off the pitch, setbacks and personal pain have only made him stronger.

The winger has already expressed his appreciation of the support he received having been the subject of online racist abuse following last week’s draw at home to Rangers.

But as the Premiership’s top scorer, the Grenada international clearly has a desire to do his best for the club. And he certainly had the last laugh at Dens Park yesterday.

Trailing to Zak Rudden’s first-half goal, the Staggies levelled on the stroke of half-time thanks to Joseph Hungbo’s effort.

As County raised their game in the second half, they were awarded a penalty. But, normally so reliable, Charles-Cook’s effort was saved.

Credit, then, to the 24-year-old who pounced with 10 minutes remaining to seal the winner and take his tally to 11 goals this season. County are now eight points clear of bottom club Dundee.

James McPake’s side, who ended the game with 10 men after on-loan Leicester City right-back Vontae Daley-Campbell was sent off in stoppage time, crumbled as the afternoon wore on and are without a victory in nine league matches.

‘Regan is a calm boy, a terrific lad and there was no need to try to lift his head after the penalty because he caused Cammy Kerr an awful lot of problems down the right-hand side,’ said County boss Malky Mackay.

‘His finish was just like the one against Dundee United — high into the net. That’s six goals in seven games and he’s doing so well for us. It was a real team effort but a quality finish from him.’

Hailing his side’s reaction after going behind, Mackay added: ‘I was really happy with the second half, the way we controlled the game. We could have scored a couple more, we missed the penalty, but looked really fit and aggressive. Especially coming here, a lot of people were talking of this being a six-pointer.’

Rudden’s first start in a Dundee shirt — following his arrival on loan from Partick ahead of a permanent transfer in the summer — saw him play centrally in a front three, with Paul McMullan and fellow new signing Niall McGinn either side.

The hosts almost made the perfect start inside 40 seconds when McMullan found space 25 yards from goal but his effort struck the top of the bar.

The game then became scrappy before McPake’s men took the lead with a well-worked move after 24 minutes. McMullan’s ball to the left found captain Jordan McGhee, who diverted the ball back across goal to

Rudden. The striker made no mistake as he fired home from 15 yards.

Dundee’s passing had clicked and another free-flowing move almost led to a second goal six minutes before half-time. Rudden fed McMullan on the right and the winger delivered a perfect cross to Max Anderson, who was unmarked in the box. It seemed a certain goal but his tame effort was straight at County keeper Ross Laidlaw.

The visitors hadn’t got going but they did come close to an equaliser shortly before the break when Alex Iacovitti met a free-kick in the box but his header flashed just wide.

County did pounce, however, with the last kick of the half when Hungbo raced on to a ball forward and drove his effort from an angle past Dundee keeper Adam Legzdins, who really should have done better. Mackay’s men were gifted a huge chance to take the lead from the spot just before the hour mark when Dundee left-back Cammy Kerr handled Connor Randall’s cross from the right.

Up stepped Charles-Cook – but his stuttering run-up did him no favours and his dreadfully weak effort was easily saved by Legzdins.

There was an expectation that Dundee would have been lifted by that let-off. But, if anything, County kept coming — much to the annoyance of the home supporters.

The howls of anger reached a whole new level in the Dens Park stands when Charles-Cook did find the net with 10 minutes to play. Jordan White’s ball forward sent the winger through on the right and he blasted his shot high into the net.

Dundee’s lack of effort had been abysmal in the second half. The hosts’ day was compounded when

Daley-Campbell was shown a straight red card for wiping out Harry Paton in stoppage time.

‘The decision-making from the start wasn’t good enough,’ said Dundee boss McPake. ‘Both goals are ridiculous. They are nothing short of shambolic.

‘I am not absolving myself from the blame but you won’t see worse goals in British football than the two we lost.

‘I will watch it again and suffer. I will self-reflect and ask if I picked the right team.’