It was a frustrating case of deja vu for the Dark Blues at the Scot Foam Stadium this afternoon as they lost 3-2 to Hearts for the second time in 11 days. Jordan McGhee gave the Dee a half time lead. Alan Forrest equalised early in the second half only for Lyall Cameron to restore the Dee’s lead. Lawrence Shankland’s penalty levelled the scores and Shankland grabbed a late winner. Dundee played some fine football, but they passed up the chances to win the game before Hearts nicked the points late on.
There were two changes to the Dee team that drew at Pittodrie. Luke McCowan returned from suspension and Michael Mellon made his first start. They replaced Mo Sylla and Zach Robinson, who were on the bench.
Both teams made a cagey start and it took five minutes for the ball to reach either penalty area. Hearts had more possession in the first half while Dundee tried to attack more quickly, often sending long balls over the heads of the Hearts defence looking for Michael Mellon. The young striker was constantly hovering by the shoulders of the last defenders. It almost paid off a few times.
Hearts went close with their first real goal attempt. A patient attack ended with Jorge Grant poking a 10 yard shot through a crowd of players and off the outside of the post.
The Dark Blues first shot was a firmly struck volley by Amadou Bakayoko from Luke McCowan’s cross, but the shot was too close to keeper Zander Clark. Trevor Carson saved well from Alan Forrest after the Hearts wide man dribbled into the penalty area.
Dundee took the lead, somewhat against the run of play, after 26 minutes. A deep cross from left midfield by McCowan found Jordan McGHEE running in from the right and the wing back powered a header across Clark and inside the far post.
The Dark Blues pushed hard for a quick second. Malachi Boateng had a shot chested away for a corner from which McGhee headed down into the goalmouth and Mellon’s flick was turned round his own post by Lawrence Shankland. A Dee long throw was half cleared and Lyall Cameron set up Mellon to hit a low 18 yard shot which Clark saved.
In the last few minutes of the half Hearts pushed the Dark Blues back and Carson saved twice from Forrest and Cochrane.
Dundee could have added to their lead at the start of the second half. Owen Beck’s free kick found Lee Ashcroft running in at the far post, but the defended volleyed over the bar.
Hearts equalised 10 minutes after the restart. A quick move sent Shankland into the penalty area and he switched the ball into the path of FORREST to score with a low shot from 10 yards.
Dundee came desperately close to an instant response. Beck burst to the byline and hit a low cross across goal. Lyall Cameron couldn’t reach the ball to turn it and the ball was scrambled round the post for a corner.
The Dee did regain the lead after 59 minutes. Bakayoko, McCowan and Cameron worked a slick move through the middle and CAMERON had space to lash a beautiful 20 yard shot past Clark.
Dundee followed up with their best spell of the match, attacking Hearts with invention and confidence. They moved the ball cleverly around the penalty area, before sending in dangerous crosses. They couldn’t find a killer third goal, however, and in the end they were punished for that. Owen Dodgson came closest, from a Beck corner, but his header struck the post.
Hearts started to throw men forward and got a huge stroke of luck when Shankland’s shot on the turn from 18 yards struck Ashcroft, who was only a few feet away. The referee decided the ball hit the defender’s arm and awarded a penalty. Carson got a hand to SHANKLAND’s spot kick but the ball ended up in the net off the inside of the post.
With 79 minutes gone Dundee might have settled for a draw but they pushed for a winner. It very nearly worked. They should have retaken the lead three minutes after the penalty. Clark pushed away a shot from substitute Zach Robinson. McGhee returned an inviting cross to the far post where Robinson was unmarked a few yards out, but facing an open goal he sent his header weakly wide.
The game was open, with both teams trying to win. After 87 minutes Hearts did find the winner when SHANKLAND took a pass from Vargas and scored with a shot across Carson.
The Dark Blues pushed hard for the equaliser they would have deserved, but it wasn’t to be. This was an entertaining match, which could have gone either way. Dundee passed up too many good chances and promising opportunities today, and were caught out in defence when the game opened up. The result was very disappointing, just like the defeat at Hearts 11 days ago, but again Dundee showed plenty of attractive quality when they attacked. Some of the Dee’s attacking in the second half was a pleasure to watch and it’s a pity that it didn’t bring the result the team deserved.
Dundee FC 3-5-2
Carson
Ashcroft, Shaughnessy (c), Dodgson
McGhee, Cameron, Boateng, McCowan, Beck
Mellon (Robinson 65), Bakayoko
Unused substitutes: Legzdins (gk), Sharp (gk), Astley, Tiffoney, Main, Mulligan, Robertson, Sylla.
Goals: McGhee (26), Cameron (59).
Booked: Bakayoko (foul on Grant), Boateng (foul on Oda), McCowan (confrontation following the penalty).
Hearts 4-2-3-1
Clark
Lembikisa, Kent, Sibbick, Cochrane
Nieuwenhof, Baningime (Tait 71)
Oda (Vargas 60), Grant (Fraser 60), Forrest (Halkett 87)
Shankland (c)
Unused subs: Gordon (gk), Denholm, Pollock, Tagawa, Wilson.
Goals: Forrest (55), Shankland (79 pen, 87).
Booked: Cochrane (foul on Cameron).
Referee: Graham Grainger. Assistants: Craig Ferguson, Paul O’Neill. Fourth Official: Dan McFarlane. VAR: Grant Irvine. Assistant VAR: Jonathan Bell.
Attendance: 7,506.
Report: James Christie.
