Dundee won through to the 4th round of the Scottish Cup by hitting Airdrieonians for six at the Kilmac Stadium today, but the win was hardly as straightforward as the 6-2 scoreline suggests. Calum Gallagher put the Diamonds ahead in the first half only for Paul McMullan to level the match on the stroke of half time. Zak Rudden made it two for the Dee early in the second half, but Callum Smith’s equaliser sent the tie into extra time. Dundee’s fitness and strength on the bench allowed the Dark Blues to run away with the game in extra time against 10 man Airdrie. Cammy Ballantyne was red carded late in normal time and the Diamonds were helpless as the Dee powered their way to victory with four goals from substitutes. Derick Osei score twice, followed by goals from Fin Robertson and Luke McCowan. Remarkably Dundee made seven substitutions in total.
There were three changes to the Dark Blues line-up following last week’s defeat of Hamilton. Tyler French and Zach Robinson were not fit and Cillian Sheridan was on the bench. Josh Mulligan replaced French at right wing back. Zak Rudden came in for Robinson at centre forward, and Max Anderson replaced Paul McMullan in the hole behind the strikers with McMullan shifting forward to play alongside Rudden.
Airdrie almost went ahead within two minutes when Justin Devenny was allowed too much time to shoot from 18 yards. It took a fine save from Ian Lawlor to stop the Diamonds taking an early lead.
The Dark Blues began to dominate play with some inventive attacking football. Dundee were penetrating the Airdrie defence regularly and the Diamonds had to rely on some improvised defending.
For all the Dee’s promising attacking, with the ball flying around Airdrie’s goalmouth, they hadn’t created any real chances. The only save that Diamonds keeper Dean Lyness had to make was when he turned Paul McMullan’s curling free kick away for a corner.
Dundee paid the price for failing to turn dominance into goals when Airdrie launched a rare attack. Calum GALLAGHER was given too much space and scored with a precise low 18 yard drive into the corner.
Zak Rudden almost produced an immediate equaliser when he turned neatly and hit a dipping 20 yarder that Lyness did well to turn over for a corner.
Dundee continued to dominate and play well without being able to finish off promising moves. Cammy Kerr shot across goal and wide after AIrdrie couldn’t clear a McMullan cross. Anderson combined well with Rudden to set up a chance, but his shot lacked the power to beat Lyness. Lee Ashcroft headed wide from a free kick and Ben Williamson had a shot blocked after a skillful run through the Airdrie defence. The best chance of all fell to Anderson, but he blazed over from six yards after Ashcroft nodded a corner down.
Finally, as the clock was ticking over into injury time Dundee grabbed the equaliser. Cammy Kerr showed great determination to prevent two defenders closing him down and sent over a high cross from next to the corner flag. Rudden challenged Lyness and the keeper couldn’t hold the ball. Paul McMULLAN helped himself to shoot past the defenders on the line.
McMullan almost added a quick second at the start of the second half but Lyness blocked his header on the goalline after good play by Josh Mulligan on the right.
Dundee were doing almost all the attacking, but the Diamonds gave the Dee a scare when Cammy Ballantyne dragged a cross shot across the face of goal with neither Calum Gallagher or Gabriel McGill able to reach it.
Dundee resumed the onslaught and Rudden wasted a good chance, skying his finish after being set up by McMullan and Mulligan.
It came right for Rudden after 53 minutes when Mulligan launched a long ball down the right. Lyness charged out of his penalty area to beat Rudden to the ball, but miskicked horribly. RUDDEN coolly took possession and scored with a lob over the covering defenders from the corner of the penalty area.
The Dee were rampant now, piling forward looking for a third goal. McMullan couldn’t connect cleanly with a volley from Kerr’s cross and Lyness saved. Jordan McGhee sliced a good chance wide after linking with Rudden. Williamson’s fierce shot was parried by Lyness at the end of a fast attack down the left.
The Dee were utterly dominant and a goal would surely come soon. Yes, it surely did – at the other end.
Dundee had too often been slow and sloppy in the transition and were punished midway through the second half. The Dark Blues’ focus on attacking throughout had perhaps left them vulnerable when they lost possession and Airdrie were often left with too much space when they won the ball. After 66 minutes the Dee were caught out and Gallagher was able to send Callum SMITH clear to shoot past Lawlor.
Following the equaliser Dundee sent on Joe Grayson and Alex Jakubiak for Shaun Byrne and Max Anderson. Dundee did not respond well to being pegged back and Airdrie had their best spell of the match in the later stages. There was a worrying delay of several minutes for Ian Lawlor to receive treatment after a nasty collision with the post after saving a header from Smith.
The keeper required lengthy treatment for a head knock before being led from the pitch. Adam Legzdins came on and was quickly in the action, making a straightforward save from Gallagher to get a feel of the ball.
After that the Diamonds did not create any danger, but Dundee had become disjointed and offered little threat themselves.
Late in normal time Derick Osei and Lyall Cameron replaced Rudden and McMullan. The most significant incident in injury time was the dismissal of Airdrie’s right back Cammy Ballantyne after two yellow cards in quick succession.
The Diamonds had been competitive in normal time, but extra time was a step too far. The visitors collapsed in the face of Dundee’s constant attacking with fresh substitutes. Fin Robertson replaced Ben Williamson, and Luke McCowan came on for Josh Mulligan.
Airdrie pulled everyone back and managed to survive for most of the first period of extra time as the Dark Blue attacking waves pounded at their defence. Eventually their resistance crumbled and Derick OSEI netted the crucial third goal, following up to score after Lyness saved from Alex Jakubiak.
Dundee quickly made it four after the start of the second period. OSEI took a pass from McCowan and scored from 10 yards with a shot that flicked off a defender on its way past Lyness.
The Dark Blues were passing their way around the Diamonds’ penalty area, and Lyall Cameron set up Fin ROBERTSON to score the fifth with a shot across Lyness. This was Fin’s first goal in senior football.
Dundee were attacking and scoring almost at will Luke McCOWAN added the sixth after being sent clear by Cameron to shoot high into the net.
When Dundee went 2-1 ahead early in the second half they were so much on top and attacking so convincingly that it would have been no surprise to be told they would score six. However, the sloppy way that they allowed the Diamonds back into the game, and their poor performance late in normal time would have been harder to predict.
The Dark Blues put all that right in extra time, with the substitutes settling the game in emphatic fashion. Dundee used a remarkable seven substitutes. Five are normally allowed, but an additional sub was permitted because Ian Lawlor suffered concussion, and a seventh in injury time. Dundee’s greater fitness, and ability to bring on highly effective substitutes proved crucial in the end.
Although Dundee scored six goals today their finishing was often disappointing. They could, and should, have put the game out of sight long before the end of normal time. The approach play through midfield was often good, but the final balls, and shots were lacking. It all came right in the end, however, and a 6-2 win certainly gave the supporters plenty to talk about in the pub.
Dundee FC 3-4-1-2
Lawlor (Legzdins 76)
McGhee, Sweeney (c), Ashcroft
Mulligan (McCowan 105), Williamson (Robertson 90+4), Byrne (Grayson 69), Kerr
Anderson (Jakubiak 69)
McMullan (Cameron 85), Rudden (Osei 85)
Unused subs: Sharp (gk), Sheridan.
Goals: McMullan (45), Rudden (53), Osei (102, 108), Robertson (112), McCowan (117).
Booked: Rudden .
Airdrieonians 4-5-1
Lyness
Ballantyne, Watson, Fordyce, Euan Deveney
Justin Devenny (McGill at half time), McCabe, Telfer (Spalding 98), McMaster (Taylor-Sinclair 90), Smith (Watt 111)
Gallagher (Kavanagh 115)
Unused subs: Henderson (gk), Fellows, Gunn.
Goals: Gallagher (21), Smith 66.
Booked: Ballantyne twice (fouls on Williamson and Jakubiak).
Sent off: Ballantyne (two yellows).
Referee: Lloyd Wilson. Assistants: Colin McAlpine, Scott Leslie.
Attendance: 2,341.
Report: James Christie.
