Dundee host Ross County on Saturday in the Ladbrokes Premiership for Neil McCann’s homecoming and here we round up everything you need to know ahead of the match.
Match Info
FIXTURE: Dundee FC v Ross County
COMPETITION: Ladbrokes Scottish Premiership
KICK OFF: 3.00pm
VENUE: Dens Park
Opposition Info
FORMED: 1929
STADIUM: The Global Energy Stadium
CAPACITY: 6,541
PITCH SIZE: 105m x 68m
MANAGER: Jim McIntyre
CHAIRMAN: Roy McGregor
NICKNAME: The Staggies
MASCOT: Rosco The Stag
CLUB COLOURS: Dark blue and white
HONOURS: Scottish League Cup winners 2015/16
Scottish League First Division winners 2011/12
Scottish League Second Division winners 2007/08
Scottish League Third Division winners 1998/99
Scottish League Challenge Cup winners 2006/07, 2010/11
Highland Football League winners 1966/67, 1990/91, 1991/92
RECORD WIN: 11-0 v St Cuthbert Wanderers 1933 Scottish Cup 1st Round
WEBSITE: www.rosscountyfootballclub.co.uk
Getting to the Ground
The full address of Dens Park for Sat-Nav is Dens Park, Sandeman Street, Dundee, DD3 7JY
The city centre of Dundee can be reached easily by both road & rail. From Dundee City Centre you can use the no 1A or no 18 National Express Dundee bus service, both of which can be boarded at the Albert Square. For a taxi to the ground, call Tay Taxis on 01382450450.
Head to Head v Ross County
LEAGUE: Won 11, Draw 13, Loss 14
SCOTTISH CUP: Won 1, Draw 1, Loss 0
LEAGUE CUP: Won 0, Draw 0, Loss 1
CHALLENGE CUP: Won 0, Draw 0, Loss 1
TOTALS: Won 12, Draw 14, Loss 16
Last Five Dundee v Ross County Matches
4/4/2017 | Away | Premiership | Lost 2-1 | 2,819 | O’Dea (pen)
10/12/2016 | Home | Premiership | Drew 0-0 | 4,742
6/8/2016 | Away | Premiership | Won 3-1 | 3,669 | Loy (2), McGowan
2/4/2016 | Home | Premiership | Won 5-2 | 5,095 | Stewart (2), Hemmings, Loy, Wighton
26/12/2015 | Away | Premiership | Lost 5-2 | 3,687 | Hemmings (2)
Match Officials
The referee for the Dundee v Ross County game is Nick Walsh
Assistant Referees are Graeme Stewart and Willie Conquer
Fourth Official is Craig Thomson
Season So Far
League Cup holders Ross County started their season by failing to qualify from their Betfred Cup section after two wins, a draw and a defeat. County opened their season with a 1-0 win at Montrose thanks to an 86th minute penalty from Brian Graham and in the next match at home to Raith Rovers another late Graham penalty could only rescue a point against the Championship side.
In the third match however, The Staggies crashed 3-2 at Alloa despite being 2-1 ahead and coupled with other results in their section, it was enough to knock them out of the competition. Their final group game was an impressive 7-0 home win over Highland League side Cove Rangers which saw County finish third in their group behind Alloa and Raith.
After losing at home to Dundee on the opening weekend of the Premiership, County bounced back with a 3-2 victory against Inverness in the next game and their inconsistency had kept them in the bottom half of the league for most of the season.
Notable results have included two draws home and away against Rangers and another 3-2 win in the Highland derby on Hogmanay and in the first game after the split thumped Caley 4-0 with all four goals coming from Liam Boyce. That result confirmed that that County couldn’t be relegated automatically while the 1-0 win at Fir Park meant their Premiership status was secure as could no longer finish in the play-off position.
County will come to Tayside in relaxed mood, looking to finish the season on a high by finishing top of the bottom six and looking to get their first win at Dens Park in five games.
Top Scorers
DUNDEE: Haber 9; Stewart 6; O’Hara 5; McGowan, O’Dea, Loy 4
ROSS COUNTY: Boyce 20; Schalk 8; Curran 7; Graham 6
Last Meeting
Dundee lost out at the death in Dingwall last month as Ross County won 2-1 with a Liam Boyce penalty after 89 minutes. Tim Chow gave the Staggies an early lead, but a Darren O’Dea penalty brought the Dee level at the end of the first half.
The Dark Blues had a strong, cold wind at their backs in the first half, but it was County who showed the greater early threat. The Staggies took the lead after only six minutes with a fast break out of defence. Jim O’Brien sent Liam Boyce clear on the left. Kevin Gomis got back to cover, but couldn’t stop Boyce’s low cutback for Tim CHOW to sweep the ball home from 10 yards.
Late in the first half the wind intervened causing problems to both defences in turn. Danny Williams and Scott Bain got in a tangle dealing with a high swirling ball. Liam Boyce backtracked to retrieve the loose ball and tried to lob Bain from 30 yards, but miscued his shot.
County weren’t so fortunate when Jay McEveley misjudged a long through ball, allowing Marcus Haber to send Henrik Ojamaa clear with a flick. Marcus Fraser’s clumsy challenge downed Ojamaa as he was about to shoot, and Darren O’DEA blasted the resulting penalty high into the net.
The big talking points of the last 10 minutes were all about penalty claims. First, County claimed that Paul McGowan had used a hand to intercept a through ball. Then Jim O’Brien went down when he and Scott Bain challenged for a low cross. O’Brien had already been booked and when the referee, Mr Beaton, decided that he was guilty of simulation he picked up a second yellow and a red card.
With 10 minutes to go Dundee started to dominate in midfield and looked capable of going on to win a game in which they had played with plenty of determination, but little fluency. However, after 89 minutes the Dee defence failed to clear a cross and in the resulting scramble Mr Beaton decided that Mark O’Hara had fouled Michael Gardyne. Liam BOYCE sent Scott Bain the wrong way to score from the penalty spot.
There was only a minute of injury time, and when Dundee won a free kick on the half way line everyone went forward. There was another scramble in the packed penalty area and Mark O’Hara hit the turf. Mr Beaton decided again that this was simulation and booked the Dee midfielder, though the claim looked every bit as convincing as the penalty awarded to the Staggies. A mass scrum of pushing and shoving followed, which saw Craig Curran and Danny Williams booked. Williams had already seen a yellow card and he was sent off, only a few seconds before the final whistle sounded.
Ross County: Fox, Naismith, Fraser, Davies (c) (McEveley 34 (Tumilty 78)), Van Der Weg, O’Brien, Woods (Routis 24), Chow, Gardyne, Boyce, Curran
Unused subs: McCarey (gk), Schalk, Lalkovic, Dow.
Goals: Chow (6), Boyce (89 pen).
Booked: Davies (foul on Ojamaa), O’Brien (foul on McGowan, and simulation), Curran (barging/pushing in melée).
Sent off: O’Brien (two yellows).
Dundee FC: Bain, Gomis, O’Dea (c), Holt, Kerr, O’Hara, Vincent, McGowan, Williams
Ojamaa (Wighton 61), Haber
Unused subs: Mitchell (gk), Hateley, Ross, Klok, Higgins.
Goal: O’Dea (44 pen).
Booked: O’Dea (foul on Boyce), Williams (foul on Naismith, and dissent), O’Hara (simulation).
Sent off: Williams (two yellows).
Attendance: 2,819 (277 Dees).
Referee: John Beaton. Assistants: Alastair Mather, Andy Milne. Fourth official: Gavin Duncan.
Matchday Programme
Dundee’s 2016/17 match programme The Dee will be available to buy at the Ross County game in and around the ground and in the club shop. It is a full, colour 52 page edition packed with news, views, features and exclusive interviews which this week include:
A message from interim manager Neil McCann
A message from managing-director John Nelms
A message from captain James McPake
This Week in History
The 2017 DFC Hall of Fame profile of Alec Troup, who was inducted last month with a Heritage Award
The 2017 DFC Hall of Fame Profile of Alex Stuart who was inducted last month with a Golden Era Award
Profile on visitors Ross County
Junior Dees News
Classic Match
Dundee Supporters Association news
Where are they now?
Match stats from last week’s game at Rugby Park
Ticketing Information
For Neil McCann’s first home game in charge, the club are repeating the special family ticket prices for the Bob Shankly Stand that were in place for the last home game against Hamilton. These are as follows:
One adult and one under 16 – £10
Two adults and up to six children – £20
Prices for all areas in Dens Park are priced at £22 for Adults, £15 for concessions and £12 for juveniles
Tickets are available from the ticket office, in person or by phone on 01382 889966 (Option 1) or online
How To Watch
Fans from outside of the UK who are virtual season tickets will be able to watch the Ross County match live on DEETV or alternatively they can view it for just £5.
The full ninety minutes of the match will be available to every subscriber of DEETV on Saturday while a shorter highlights package will be available to view during the weekend alongside exclusive post match interviews with the manager and players.
The pre-match press conference is also available to view on DEETV from Thursday.
You can sign up for DEETV for just £5 a month on the official website where you will have access to Highlights, Interviews and all the Dundee FC goals at the click of the button.
