Dobbie does it again to hold Dee to a draw
They are fighting for their lives in the Premiership. Now Dundee face another scrap to stay in the Scottish Cup after being held by Queen of the South.
Goal machine Stephen Dobbie put Queens ahead with his 33rd goal of the season in a first half controlled by the Championship side.
But Jesse Curran bagged an equaliser out of nothing to secure the Dark Blues a replay at Palmerston Park a week on Tuesday.
On the balance of chances created, Queens should really have progressed.
And, for their manager Gary Naismith, that was a fact worthy of lament, despite his pride in his players’ performance.
“I think we’re unlucky not to be through,” he said.
“We came here as a Championship team and Dundee’s only shot on target was their goal. “Dundee’s keeper has made a couple of saves from Dobes (Stephen Dobbie) and another, and there were others where we maybe haven’t made the right choices.
“The replay will be another difficult game, but the beauty is we get to see the draw and see who we’ve got a chance of getting if we can get past Dundee.”
Queens looked up for it from the off – and why not?
With two consecutive wins behind him and 32-goal striker Dobbie in scintillating form, they had every right to consider themselves capable of dumping their hosts.
After just nine minutes, the Championship side offered irrefutable proof of their shock credentials.
Left-back Jordan Marshall, up against Jesse Curran, switched on the afterburners and hit the by line before whipping in a cross for Dobbie. The Queens hit man was, predictably, perfectly positioned – and completely unmarked – as he met Marshall’s ball.
But Dundee’s debutant goalkeeper Seny Dieng launched himself into an acrobatic save.
Another new arrival, in the shape of Craig Curran, was given his first start in Dark Blue after crossing the street from Tannadice.
But his early work went unrewarded against Queens’ disciplined rearguard. Truth be told, Dundee looked like the lower division team for much of the first-half – and it was no surprise when they fell behind.
It was also no shock that Dobbie was the man on the mark.
The lively Lyndon Dykes slipped Josh Todd in behind Cammy Kerr, and his low cross was side-footed home from close range by the striker.
Not for the first time this season, the home side looked to be on the ropes.
But with seconds to go until half-time, they landed an equalising blow out of nothing.
Curran struck it – a fantastic, curling finish from 16 yards after a jinking, defence-killing run.
And with new recruit Andy Dales thrown on for the quiet Roarie Deacon at half-time, Dundee came into the game.
Nevertheless, Queens looked dangerous on the break and Dieng denied Dobbie a second with a stunning stop on the hour before denying Todd oneon-one two minutes later before Kerr blocked his follow up.
Dales’ performance, along with that of fellow-substitute Andrew Nelson, gave heart to Dee boss Jim Mcintyre.
But a replay with Queens is a game his side, with securing Premiership safety their firm priority, could have done without.