Dundee started the Premiership season with an away point from a 2-2 draw down the street in a proper, old school derby. Hosts Dundee United went ahead with an early goal from Kritijan Trapanovski. Seb Palmer-Houlden quickly had the Dark Blues back on level terms only for Miller Thomson to restore United’s lead in a frantic opening 23 minutes. Dundee had a shaky first half but improved after the internal and pushed for an equaliser. Luke McCowan scored from the penalty spot after 79 minutes and the Dee had to settle for a point in a derby that both teams will think they should have won.
The Dark Blues made three changes from the team that beat Inverness last week. Jon McCracken returned in goal, Lyall Cameron came into the midfield, and Ziyad Larkeche made his debut at left wing back. Trevor Carson, Fin Robertson and Josh Mulligan moved to the bench.
After a cagey, scrappy opening few minutes United settled first and started to give the Dee defence problems.
After 13 minutes the home side went ahead. Dundee lost the ball trying to move over the half way line. United attacked quickly and David Babunski slipped an incisive pass through the Dee back line for Jort van der Sande to square the ball into the path of Kristijan TRAPANOVSKI who gave McCrackean no hope from 15 yards.
Dundee responded well and, after a lengthy delay to clear smoke, equalised within three minutes of the restart.
Luke McCowan combined neatly on the left. McCowan’s cutback was blocked but only into the path of Murray whose shot was saved by Jack Walton. Seb PALMER-HOULDEN was on hand to score from close range.
Instead of settling down Dundee continued to look vulnerable, especially on the left. Miller Thomson wriggled past Luke Graham to cross low for Babunski who skyed a good chance.
United were back in the lead only a minute later. Will Ferry moved in from the left and opened up the Dee with a fine low pass out to Vicko Sevelj on the right. The wing back hit a fierce, first time, low cross through the goalmouth and Miller THOMSON shot home at the far post.
The Dark Blues went on to dominate possession for the rest of the game, but United created the greater danger in an uncomfortable first half for the Dee. For 10 minutes after regaining the lead United did little other than contain Dundee. When they did attack they opened up the Dee defence once again with a slick attack from the left that ended with Babunski shooting narrowly wide.
The Dark Blues might have had most of the ball, but they were guilty of some careless passing in midfield which eased the pressure on United, who could then attack at speed.
Babunski had the last attempt on goal of the first half when he sent a chip over the bar.
The second half began in the same style as the first. Dundee kept pushing forward, but unconvincingly, while United kept their shape and held off the Dee.
After 12 minutes of tentative probing in attack the Dark Blues had a massive escape in defence. Everyone went forward for a free kick which proved a problem when United cleared. Trapanovski was left all on his own to run clear from inside his own half. He clipped the ball past McCracken, but Lyall Cameron had sprinted 70 yards to chase the shot down and hook clear almost on the line. It was a fantastic piece of determination by the young midfielder and it saved a point for the Dee.
Midway through the second half Scott Tiffoney came on for Ethan Ingram as Dundee switched to 4-3-3. Jordan McGhee moved to right back and Tiffoney played on the left wing.
Dundee started to exert more control in midfield and play their way into positions that gave United’s defence trickier problems. Tiffoney showed a lovely piece of skill to turn on the wing and dribble into the penalty area, but his shot was blocked for a corner.
The Dee then made their final substitutions, sending on Curtis Main and Josh Mulligan for Seb Palmer-Houlden and Lyall Cameron.
United were threatening far less in attack but the Dee defence gave themselves a scare when McCracken sent a poor pass to Luke Graham who lost possession. There was another moment of heart-stoppingT confusion in the goalmouth before Dundee finally cleared.
After that fright the Dark Blues went up the park and won the penalty that brought them back into the game. Murray ran into the penalty area and was wiped out by Ross Graham. The linesman’s flag was up for offside, but a VAR check was announced on both the offside decision and Graham’s challenge. After a minute or so referee David Dickinson was told that Murray was onside and he should go to the VAR monitor. A further tense delay ensued before the referee returned to signal his decision – Dundee penalty! Luke McCOWAN sent his spot kickk down the middle and the Dee were level after 79 minutes.
The Dark Blues were the more composed side in midfield and looked more likely to snatch a late winner. Jordan McGhee headed just over the bar from a corner. A 33 yard free kick by McCowan took a deflection and Walton saved comfortably.
There were six minutes of added time. Murray gave United a scare when he pounced on a loose ball on the edge of the six yard box but Walton made an outstanding reflex save. The flag went up for offside, surely a very tight decision that would have required a VAR review but for the save.
Deep into added time Dundee should have grabbed the win. McCracken arrowed a long kick out to the left wing for Murray who ran on and played a beautiful cross into the goalmouth with the outside of his right foot. Curtis Main raced in and made contact, but from six yards sent his shot over the bar.
Right at the death United had a fleeting and difficult half chance when Louis Moult crossed for fellow sub Richard Odada to send a tame header well over the bar from 15 yards.
Dundee could, and maybe should, have taken three points on the basis of an improved second half performance. However, the game could well have been lost in a poor first half in which United should have punished a shaky Dee defence more heavily. Perhaps United paid the price for not pressing home their advantage and conceding too much possession to a Dundee team that had the quality to dig themselves out of a hole.
In the second half Dundee were spraying the ball around to greater purpose, with Luke McCowan and Mo Sylla highly influential. Josh Mulligan gave United problems with his power and Scott Tiffoney with his pace and skill.
The Dark Blues’ defending, however, was a worry, and it will have to improve. The defence was opened up too many times in that first half. A point in a derby after that shaky first half performance was probably as much the Dee deserved, and a draw was fair to both sides.
It wasn’t one of the all time classic, but it was an exciting, old fashioned derby that is sure to have pleased Sky TV. It’s good for Scottish to have Dundee derbies back.
Dundee United 3-4-3
Walton
Graham, Gallagher, Holt
Sevelj (Fotheringham 78), Sibbald, Babunski, Ferry,
Thomson (Odada 85), van der Sande, Trapanovski (Moult 85)
Unused substitutes: Richards (gk), Middleton, O’Donnell, Cleall-Harding, Forbes, Stirton.
Goals: Trapanovski (13), Thomson (23).
Booked: Graham (foul on Murray), Gallagher (foul on Mulligan).
Dundee FC 3-1-4-2
McCracken
Portales, McGhee, Graham
Sylla
Ingram (Tiffoney 64), McCowan (c), Cameron (Mulligan 73), Larkeche
Palmer-Houlden (Main 73), Murray
Unused substitutes: Carson (gk), Sharp (gk), Astley, Fin Robertson, Richardson, Lochhead.
Goals: Palmer-Houlden (18), McCowan pen (79).
Booked: none.
Referee: David Dickinson. Assistants: David McGeachie, Ross Macleod. VAR: Steven McLean. Assistant VAR: John McCrossan.
Attendance: 12,616.
Report: James Christie.
