Playing their second game in 48 hours, Dundee’s youngsters did exceedingly well to return from Spartans’ Ainslie Park with a victory against Hibs.

The Dens Parkers were down to the bare bones squad-wise and keeper Kyle Gourlay was pressed into action despite being injured.

With five of the squad from the St Johnstone game unavailable Dundee could only field one substitute, though Andy Black was available again.

The game was once again played in atrocious weather conditions but Dundee were quickly out of the blocks and, in the opening minute Kyle Clark won the ball in the corner and passed to skipper Josh Skelly whose shot went just wide.

Hibs hit back and it took a good tackle by Greg Warwick to deny Aaron Dunsmore a shooting opportunity.
There was a moment of concern in the Dundee ranks when Olly Shaw latched on to Kerr Waddell’s back header but Gourlay was out quickly to foil the Hibs forward.

Dundee took the lead on 26 minutes after a misplaced header from Hibs’ Jordan McGregor. Skelly latched on to the loose ball and squared for JOHN BLACK who swept it home from 12 yards.

Calvin Colquhoun then went on a mazy run but couldn’t get his shot off.

The Dark Blues might have had a penalty five minutes later when Skelly went down under a challenge but the referee inexplicably awarded the home side a free kick.

Shaw broke through the Dundee rearguard but the striker’s shot went wide of the target and it also took two terrific interceptions from Sean Gallacher to deny Hibs.

At the start of the second half Skelly had a 25-yard free kick well saved by Easter Road keeper Sean Brennan, but only minutes later Colquhoun had to come off to be replaced by Liam Gibb, Dundee’s only sub. With Gourlay unable to kick the ball freely the Dens defence began to come under severe pressure.

However, the back four, marshalled superbly by Waddell and Ben Priest, kept the Hibs youngsters from Gourlay’s goal for the main part.

As the young Dark Blues tired Hibs’ pressure mounted and Gourlay brought off fine saves from Aaron Dunsmore and Alex Morgan.

Priest and Waddell both put in telling tackles to deny the eager Hibs, but there was nothing they could do when Shaw rose highest at a corner kick to direct a header goalwards.

To Dundee’s relief the ball crashed back off the bar.

In the dying seconds Andy Black put Skelly through. The striker lifted a shot over the Hibs keeper but the ball agonisingly crept past the outside of the post.

This was a terrific win for the Dens youngsters who were facing two tough games back to back in horrendous conditions.

FT: Hibs 0 Dundee 1

Dundee: Gourlay, Warwick, Gallacher, Priest, Waddell, Colquhoun (Gibb 58), Clark, A Black, Skelly, J Black, Gemmell.

Report: Jim Davie