Dundee and Arbroath battled their way to a 1-1 draw at a windy Gayfield Park this afternoon. Zak Rudden’s header gave the Dee an early lead, but Bobby Linn scored with a spectacular free kick from 35 yards late in the first half to give the Lichties a deserved equaliser. Arbroath had the better of the first half as Dundee had problems coping with a strong wind. The Dark Blues improved after half time but could not find the cutting edge they needed to take all three points.
There were five changes to the Dee line-up. Jordan Marshall, Joe Grayson, Cillian Sheridan, Zak Rudden and Luke McCowan started, replacing Ben Williamson, Paul McGowan, Max Anderson, Lyall Cameron and Zach Robinson.
Dundee struggled to handle both Arbroath and the wind in a difficult first half. They had an escape after five minutes when Tyler French headed Ricky Little’s shot off the line. With the Arbroath defence out of position the Dark Blues raced away to score on the break. Cillian Sheridan sent Paul McMullan clear on the right and his cross was thumped home by Zak RUDDEN’s firm header from six yards.
The Dark Blues’ clearances from defence were often held up in the strong wind and they rode their luck too often for comfort. A shot by Marcel Oakley was blocked by Cammy Kerr and the resulting scramble was ended when Adam Legzdin’s flung himself on the loose ball.
Oakley had another go when he was sent clear on the right by Michael McKenna, but Legzdins saved at the expense of a corner. David Gold hit a powerful shot from 20 yards, and Bobby Linn got a header on target from a corner, but both efforts were straight at Legzdins who saved comfortably.
Dundee often conceded possession through failing to read the wind. The Lichties handled the wind better, and they weren’t simply lumping the ball down the park. They played quick passing football on the ground that stretched Dundee.
The Dark Blues could, and maybe should, have taken an undeserved two goal lead when Luke McCowan burrowed his way in from the left. His cutback found Paul McMullan who passed up a great chance when he miskicked.
It was hardly a shock when Arbroath equalised after 36 minutes, but the manner of the goal was certainly a surprise. Bobby LINN struck a stunning free kick from 35 yards that hit the underside of the bar, and possibly Legzdins too, before settling in the back of the net.
Another free kick by Linn caused problems a few minutes later. His shot struck a defender and fell nicely for Little, whose shot took a deflection and flew over the bar.
Right at the end of a highly uncomfortable half for the Dark Blues they came frustratingly close to retaking the lead. McMullan played Sheridan in on goal, but the shot struck the foot of keeper Derek Gaston and bobbled the wrong side of the post.
The Dark Blues improved after half time with the wind at their backs. The conditions hardly helped Dundee, but they were no longer as disruptive. Arbroath were a constant menace in the first half, but they were never again as consistently dangerous. The Dundee midfield were far more effective than in the first half. They largely stopped Arbroath playing their way through the middle, and ensured most of the play was in the home half, but they couldn’t find the creativity that the Dee needed to win the game.
In a scrappy second half there were only two chances, both for Dundee. A neat spot of play by Jordan McGhee allowed him to send Sheridan into space on the left. The tall striker crossed for Rudden, but he shot wide as Gaston raced out to spread and block.
In injury time two Dundee substitutes combined for the final chance of the afternoon. Lyall Cameron crossed quickly from the left following a drop ball and Zach Robinson sent his volley over the bar.
Either side might have won this game. The Dark Blues did not do enough to deserve the three points and a Dundee win would certainly have been harsh on the Lichties who looked nothing like a team at the bottom of the table. They looked far more like the team that excelled last season as they attacked the Dee in a first half that will surely have given them great encouragement.
The Dark Blues have been fragile under pressure this season and have not responded well to conceding a goal. This time the defence was more solid, and it took something special to get past them. But Dundee did not create enough coming forward, and a point was as much as they deserved.
Arbroath 4-4-1-1
Gaston
Oakley, LIttle, Bitsindou, Hamilton
Gold, Jacobs, Tait, Linn (Isiaka 82)
McKenna (Shanks 86)
Hilson
Unused subs: Gill (gk), Corfe, Hancock, Fosu.
Goal: Linn (36), Hilson (foul on Marshall), Bitsindou (foul on Robinson).
Booked: Tait.
Dundee FC 4-4-2
Legzdins
Kerr, French, Ashcroft, Marshall
McMullan (Mulligan 67), McGhee (c), Grayson, McCowan (Cameron 77)
Sheridan (Robinson 77), Rudden
Unused subs: Sharp (gk), Sweeney, Byrne, McGowan, Williamson, Anderson.
Goal: Rudden (6).
Booked: Rudden (blocking free kick), French (foul on Hilson), Kerr (foul on Linn), Marshall (foul on Hilson).
Referee: Colin Steven. Assistants: Dougie Potter, Cameron Telfer.
Attendance: to be announced.
Report: James Christie.
