Dundee went down to a 1-0 defeat away to Falkirk tonight. Ben Broggio scored the only goal early in the second half. The Dark Blues’ dominated possession and played good football throughout in horrible conditions, but familiar failings in attack cost the Dee dearly. Dundee couldn’t turn composed and purposeful approach play into goal chances. To cap a frustrating night Yan Dhanda missed a penalty in added time at the end that would have given the Dee a point they deserved.
The Dark Blues fielded an unchanged line-up following their fine performance in the Scottish Cup against Celtic.
The first half offered little in the way of excitement, but to their credit both teams tried to play good football in the miserable conditions.
Falkirk had the first goal attempt when Ben Broggio shot wide from 18 yards after driving in from the right wing. The Dark Blues’ best move of the half came early. Cameron Congreve’s shot from 12 yards lacked the power to beat Nicky Hogarth after a fast break down the left featuring Tony Yogane, Drey Wright and Simon Murray.
Dundee had more success than Falkirk in playing their way into good positions, but they couldn’t take advantage of some promising opportunities. Falkirk were less fluent than the Dee but did create some dangerous moments in the Dundee penalty area. A scramble in a crowded six yard box ended with Dylan Tait’s shot being deflected wide.
Late in the half the always impressive Luke Graham blocked a shot by Keelan Adams, and at the other end Congreve had a shot blocked.
Falkirk’s best spell of the match came early in the second half and they scored the only goal in the 55th minute. Dundee couldn’t clear a cross which broke for Ben BRAGGIO. His shot from 15 yards flew through a crowd of players and past McCracken who got a foot to the ball but couldn’t keep it out of the net.
The Dark Blues responded strongly and put Falkirk under relentless pressure. The Bairns retreated into a defensive shell and wee barely seen in attack for the rest of the game.
Joel Cotterill almost produced an instant equaliser when he cut in from the left and hammered a curling shot towards the far top corner. Keeper Nicky Hogarth saved superbly at full stretch.
Frustratingly, that was the only time Dundee really tested the home keeper. Hogarth did have a succession of shots to save, but none of them carried the venom or direction to test him.
The remainder of the match was disappointingly familiar. Dundee controlled the game, playing good football into the final third, and creating constant danger in the wide areas. Sadly none of this was followed by the moments of creative spark or ruthlessness in the penalty area that have brought a goal.
Tony Yogane had a fine game, beating right back Keelan Adams time and again until the defender was booked and substituted. One of Yogane’s many crosses came back off the bar and the Bairns defence scrambled clear after Simon Murray couldn’t force his shot over the line.
The momentum was all with Dundee as Falkirk struggled to get out of their own half. The Bairns’ only significant goal attempt in the last half hour was a long range shot by Dylan Tait. It took a big deflection but McCracken saved well.
Dundee threw on three substitutes with quarter of an hour to play. Scott Wright, Callum Jones and Charlie Reilly came on for Simon Murray, Joel Cotterill, and Cam Congreve. The game still flowed all one way but Dundee could never get the break of the ball in the penalty area – though perhaps the Dark Blues never did enough to make these breaks happen.
Joe Bevan was a late substitute for Tony Yogane and he made a significant contribution. He chased a pass into the penalty area and nicked it past the keeper before being tripped. A VAR review persuaded the referee that it should be a penalty but Yan Dhanda’s spot kick flew wide.
It was a horrible way to lose a game from which Dundee should have taken at least a point and could well have won. One moment of slack defending on a miserable night for football proved costly, but the real failure was the Dark Blues’s inability to turn good football and approach play into chances. Dundee were the better side across 80% of the pitch, but were never able to prise Falkirk’s defence apart in the penalty area.
Outside other teams’ penalty area Dundee look nothing like a team threatened by the drop. What has happened in the penalty area all season has ensured that the Dark Blues remain in a battle against relegation.
Falkirk 4-2-3-1
Hogarth
Adams (McCann 79), Neilson, Henderson (c), Lisssah
Cartwright (Yeats 76), Tait
Broggio (Allan 89), Marsh (Spencer 76), Ross (Miller 76)
Stewart
Unused subs: Hastings (gk), Donaldson, Graham, Nesbitt.
Goal: Broggio (55).
Booked: Lissah (foul on Halliday), Adams (foul on Yogane).
Dundee 4-1-4-1
Jon McCracken
Brad Halliday, Ryan Astley, Luke Graham, Drey Wright
Ethan Hamilton
Cameron Congreve (Charlie Reilly 79), Yan Dhanda, Joel Cotterill (Callum Jones 77), Tony Yogane (Joe Bevan 88)
Simon Murray (c) (Scott Wright 77)
Unused substitutes: Kieran O’Hara (gk), Paul Digby, Fin Robertson, Imari Samuels, Lewis Montsma.
Booked: Dhanda (reason unclear).
Attendance: 7,345.
Referee: David Dickinson. Assistants: Dougie Potter, Elliott Husband Powton. VAR: Don Robertson. Assistant: VAR: Gavin Duncan.
Report: James Christie.
