The Dark Blues recorded an impressive 2-0 win at Hamilton Accies’ New Douglas Park this afternoon thanks to a first half goal from Lyall Cameron and substitute Luke McCowan’s clincher deep into added time at the end. Dundee were the better, more composed team throughout. The Dee dominated their hosts for most of the game and could well have inflicted a much heavier defeat on Hamilton.
The Dee had four changes to the starting 11 from the team that beat TNS last week. Tyler French, Joe Grayson, Josh Mulligan and Zach Robinson replaced Jordan Marshall, Max Anderson, Ben Williamson and Cillian Sheridan.
The first 10 minutes was scrappy with neither side able to settle on the ball. From that point Dundee grew into the game and were stronger, more composed and much more effective in midfield. The Dark Blues’ attacks carried far more danger than Accies’ tentative efforts and it seemed only a matter if time before Dundee took the lead.
A Dee corner was taken short, allowing Paul McMullan to cross beyond the far post. Lee Ashcroft headed powerfully downwards but Ryan Fulton saved.
Lyall Cameron passed up a good chance when he headed over from Jordan McGhee’s cross at the end of a neat move featuring the hard working Zach Robinson.
McGhee was also too high with his shot after a penetrating run in from the left by Cameron.
After 29 minutes the Dee put it together to take a deserved lead. A lengthy spell of pressure ended with Joe Grayson slotting a pass through for Lyall CAMERON to score with a beautifully composed low finish across Fulton and inside the far post.
Accies came back into the game later in the first half, but their attacking was invariably improvised, wasteful and little threat to Adam Legzdin’s goal.
Dundee were forced to make a change at half time. Joe Grayson was sick and Ben Williamson replaced him. Happily the change did not unsettle the Dee. Williamson had a fine second half and Dundee remained dominant.
The Dark Blues should have taken the game well out of Accies’ reach early in the second half but passed up a string of good chances.
Cameron couldn’t get a clean connection on his close range header from McMullan’s cross and McGhee fired over from the edge of the penalty area.
A fast Dundee break, with Tyler French sprinting through the middle, opened up Hamilton but neither Josh Mulligan nor Lyall Cameron could get their shots past Accies’ frantic blocking.
Only a minute later Paul McMullan sent Josh Mulligan through on goal but Fulton saved with a foot.
Midway through the second half Hamilton created their first chance when substitute Jean Pierre Tiehi ran clear onto Ryan One’s pass. Adam Legzdins made a game winning block to preserve his clean sheet.
The Dee responded by making, and missing, another great opportunity. Terrific play by Zach Robinson on the right gave him space on the right. His hard low cross beat the keeper only for Lyall Cameron to misfit his shot into the side netting.
Inevitably Hamilton threw everything at the Dee in the closing stages. Andy Winter went closest when his shot from 20 yards clipped the top of the crossbar. Jordan McGhee put in a marvellous goalmouth interception to stop Tiehi reaching Smith’s low cross.
With Accies chasing the game the Dark Blues had more good opportunities on the break but couldn’t finish them off.
Paul McMullan played Cammy Kerr into the penalty area but the low cross evaded all his teammates and was cleared almost on the goal line.
Zak Rudden and Max Anderson replaced Zach Robinson and Josh Mulligan. The substitutes almost settled the game with yet another breakaway but Rudden’s shot struck a defender.
All Hamilton’s frantic pressure in the last few minutes was handled superbly by the Dee defence, especially central defenders Lee Ashcroft and Tyler French who saw off a stream of high, optimistic crosses. For all the late pressure the Dee ensured there were no chances or serious scares.
Finally, deep into injury time, and with almost the final kick of the ball, the Dark Blues helped themselves to the second goal.
Dundee broke out of defence and Paul McMullan sent substitute Luke McCOWAN racing clear to shoot past Fulton to the delight of the noisy travelling support behind that goal.
If the Dee had taken their chances today they could have given Accies a hiding and Lyall Cameron in particular could have been heading home with the match ball.
The missed chances made the end of the game less comfortable than it might have been. However, it was pleasing to see the defence standing up so well to the late pressure and take a richly deserved clean sheet.
The Dark Blues were superior to Accies all over the park today. A two goal winning margin was the least they deserved.
Hamilton Academical 4-4-2
Fulton
Doyle, Easton, O’Reilly, Shiels
Martin, Lawson, Zanatta (Tiéhi 59), Mimnaugh (Lewis Smith 68)
One, Winter
Unused subs: Jamie Smith (gk), Ngandu, Brown, Owens, McGinn, Forsyth.
Booked: Zanatta (dissent).
Dundee FC 4-1-4-1
Legzdins
Kerr, French, Ashcroft, McGhee (c)
Grayson (Williamson at half time)
McMullan, Mulligan (Anderson 74), McGowan, Cameron (McCowan 85)
Robinson (Rudden 74)
Unused subs: Sharp (gk), Marshall, Robertson, Rudden, Sheridan, Strachan.
Goals: Cameron (29), McCowan (90+4).
Booked: none.
Referee: Matthew MacDermid. Assistants: Graeme Leslie, Craig Macrae.
Attendance: 1,642.
Report: James Christie.
