Linn serves up a stunner to rescue a point for Lichties
ARBROATH 1 Linn (37) DUNDEE 1
Rudden (6) Arbroath winger Bobby Linn answered his manager’s call with a stunning 35-yard free-kick to earn his side a 1-1 draw against his boyhood club Dundee.
With a depleted squad, there was a lot of manoeuvring for Dick Campbell to do but he managed to frustrate the Dark Blues and come away with a respectable 1-1 draw, which he hopes can be the catalyst to push on now.
Afterwards, the Red Lichties boss was pleased by his decisions. He said: “I phoned him and told him to come to the ground early today, I want to talk to you.
“I am struggling for players and I’m going to start you – but if I see you pass the ball back then I will take you off. I said get on the ball and do what you do. He’s an institution up here.
“I call him an impact player, but I said I’ve got to make decisions – I’m the manager. It’s against his favourite team as well and he said aye, I’m up for it, gaffer.
“His goal is phenomenal. I said to myself, you’re not going to hit that son and then I was, ‘oh ya beauty’. I thought we deserved at least a point. My goalkeeper hasn’t really had a save to make.
“I just want our fans not to write us off. Don’t write silly wee comments on websites.
“Don’t be stupid, if anyone has anything to complain about this team – tell them to come and see me.”
In a fiery start to the match, Arbroath threatened after five minutes with Ricky Little seeing a half-volley denied on the goal line by Tyler French. From
the break, Dundee took the lead, with Cillian Sheridan playing in Paul Mcmullan before his pinpoint cross found Zak Rudden who headed home.
It was the perfect start from Gary Bowyer’s side, but they were missing penetration.
Dale Hilson deflected a shot towards the Dundee goal and a fantastic goalline block from Cammy Kerr denied the hosts before Adam Legzdins denied Michael Mckenna.
Arbroath equalised through a stunning 35-yard free-kick from
Linn, firing into the top left-hand corner off the bar and past the stranded Legzdins then bouncing off the goalkeeper’s back and into the net – which erupted Gayfield.
Linn had come through the youth system at Dundee but it was something extraordinary.
Proceedings in the second half weren’t as spectacular as the opening period but Dundee almost pulled themselves in front again on 64 minutes with Sheridan linking up well with Rudden but the latter saw his effort go
wide after intense pressure from the Arbroath defence.
Dundee were booed off after the final whistle and manager Bowyer was disappointed he couldn’t get the win for the 1,609 fans.
He said: “I didn’t hear the boos myself. At the end of the day, the supporters are entitled to their opinion.
“The fans have been magnificent with me since I’ve been here. With the chances we created, we should have sent them home happy and we’re disappointed with a point.”