Dundee won their first home league game of the season at the Scot Foam Stadium with a thrilling 3-1 victory over Hearts. A fantastic first half performance shattered Hearts as the Dark Blues took a 3-0 lead with goals from Scott Tiffoney, a Gerald Taylor own goal, and a Luke McCowan penalty. The Dees in the stands were delirious with delight as the Dark Blues scored twice in first half injury time. Hearts tried to recover from the first half disaster and Frankie Kent pulled a goal back after an hour, but the Dee held on for a win that the supporters loved with a noisy passion!
The Dark Blues made one change from last week’s derby team. Scott Tiffoney came in for Luke Graham as Dundee switched to a 4-3-3 formation. New signing Billy Koumetio was on the bench.
Dundee were quickly onto the attack and had two dangerous moments in the first five minutes. A strong and accurate 22 yard shot by Lyall Cameron was turned away for a corner by Zander Clark. A couple of minutes later Seb Palmer-Houlden won the ball on the right and burst forward into space, but Scott Tiffoney couldn’t control his cutback and get a shot away.
Hearts started to come into the game and had a vaguely promising 10 minute spell in which they played their way into some promising positions. However, they did so too slowly and the Dee defence was always on hand to deal with any threat. Kenneth Vargas went close with a low 22 yarder, but apart from that Hearts offered little serious danger.
The game settled into a pattern with Hearts clocking up impressive possession stats but doing little with the ball. In contrast Dundee moved at pace whenever they had the ball and raced forward repeatedly unsettling the Hearts defence.
Midway through the first half Dundee broke through. A poor kick out by Zander Clark was picked up by Luke McCowan. This season, instead of opting for the extravagant chip, McCowan played in Scott TIFFONEY on the left and he jinked inside to score with a low shot inside Clark’s near post.
Hearts continued to plod their way up the park without great conviction. Kenneth Vargas forced McCracken into a save with a shot from a very tight angle following a corner. Apart from that Hearts failed to impress in open play.
Dundee were faster and sharper in everything they did. Dark Blue players, especially in midfield, were constantly first to the second balls leaving Hearts players floundering.
A long ball from Ziyad Larkeche allowed Palmer-Houlden to race in from the right. Clark parried his fierce shot and saved again from Lyall Cameron’s acrobatic follow up volley.
Late in the first half Gerald Taylor caught Tiffoney with a dreadful late tackle wide of the Hearts penalty area. The Dees in the stands were screaming for a red card, but perhaps referee Don Robertson did Dundee a favour by charitably issuing only a booking.
A couple of minutes later Taylor’s luck ran out. Simon Murray whipped a cross into the goalmouth. TAYLOR got his feet in a tangle and turned the ball into the corner of the net.
The Dee support roared their approval and delight at the prospect of a two goal lead at half time, but it got even better in the remaining few minutes of added time. For the umpteenth time a Dundee attack led to Tiffoney running into the penalty area from the left, this time on the end of a pass from Cameron. He was caught first by Daniel Oyegoke before being decisively decked by Frankie Kent as he was about to shoot. It was the clearest of penalties with no need for any VAR review.
Luke McCOWAN stepped up to make it 3-0 from the spot and the Dark Blue ecstasy in the stands went up another level again.
Hearts were shocked by that painful first half and were bound to reorganise and come stronger in the second half. They made three changes at half time and produced more energy throughout the second half.
James Penrice sent in a dangerous dipping shot from 25 yards which McCracken did well to turn over the bar. However, it was the Dee who were first to get the ball into the net after the restart.
Mo Sylla sent Palmer-Houlden away down the right. His low cross to the near post was tucked through Clark’s legs by Cameron at close range, but before Hearts kicked off a VAR review was announced. Mr Robertson checked the monitor and decided that Sylla had handled in the build up. That could have been a turning point. A 4-0 lead would have killed the game but the escape gave Hearts fresh hope.
Hearts continued to dominate possession but they offered more threat than in the first half. Yan Dhanda sent a half volley over the bar from a cross by fellow substitute Yutaro Oda.
After 61 minutes Hearts pulled a goal back. Dundee couldn’t clear a free kick from the left. Ex Dee Malachi Boateng, who came on at half time, sent over a dangerous cross and Frankie KENT headed in from close range. There was another VAR delay to check for possible offside, and again it didn’t go Dundee’s way.
With over half an hour to go memories returned of losing leads against Hearts last season. This time the Dee dug deep and fought their way to the final whistle. The game management was sound and the Dark Blues defended superbly to earn the win.
Hearts were dominating, but Dundee’s ability to break with skill and pace meant they always carried a threat.
Dundee had to reorganise the defence when Ziyad Larkeche was stretchered off after 69 minutes. Tommy Koumetio came on to make his debut in central defence with Jordan McGhee moving to left back. It was an unfamiliar defence but there was little sign of that.
The Dark Blues could have settled the game when Palmer-Houlden made a fantastic run from the half way line through the Hearts midfield and sent Tiffoney in on goal, but the winger clipped his finish over the bar.
There were a couple of scary moments for the supporters to endure before the final whistle. McCracken made a mess of a header to clear a long ball, but Ethan Ingram tidied up before Oda could take advantage. Oda then had a good chance with a header following a long throw, but sent his effort straight at McCracken.
The supporters cheered and sang the Dee home through eight minutes of added time. The defence was outstanding and the midfield worked furiously in front of them. Tiffoney broke out of defence and James Penrice rugby tackled him. The referee played the advantage and Cameron ran on only for Lawrence Shankland to foul him before he reached the penalty area. That certainly got the Dee supporters roaring! The final whistle followed soon after and it was met with wild celebration round three sides of the ground.
This was an excellent win against a very good Hearts team who were made to look second rate in a breathtaking first half. Those 50 minutes in the lovely August evening sunshine were surely more enjoyable than anything we’ve seen from the Dee for a good few years.
It was a fine team performance from players who delivered the game plan to perfection and maintained an astonishing work rate for 103 minutes of football. The three men up front ran, ran and ran, showing great energy and skill. The midfield was creative, with Mo Sylla outstanding as the spoiler to break up Hearts attacks in the second half. The defence was put under some fierce pressure in the second half but held strong.
Well done guys! That was a great evening!
Dundee FC 4-3-3
McCracken
Ingram, Portales, McGhee, Larkeche (Koumetio 72)
Cameron, Sylla, McCowan (c)
Palmer-Houlden, Murray (Main 89), Tiffoney (Fin Robertson 90+6)
Goals: Tiffoney (23), Taylor og (45+2), McCowan pen (45+5).
Booked: Tiffoney (foul on Vargas), Portales (reaction to bad foul on Tiffoney), Larkeche (foul on Taylor).
Unused substitutes: Sharp (gk), Carson (gk), Astley, Graham, Lochhead.
Hearts 3-4-1-2
Clark
Oyegoke (Boateng at half time), Kent, Rowles
Taylor, Devlin (Spittal 69), Grant (Dhanda at half time), Penrice
McKay (Oda at half time)
Vargas (Boyce 75), Shankland
Unused subs: Gordon (gk), Kingsley, Halkett, Forrest.
Goal: Kent (61).
Booked: Rowles (foul on Cameron), Taylor (foul on Tiffoney), Penrice (foul on Tiffoney), Shankland (foul on Cameron).
Referee: Don Robertson. Assistants: David Dunne, Paul McAvinue. Fourth official: Colin Steven. VAR: David Dickinson. Assitant VAR: Daniel McFarlane.
Attendance: 7,266.
Report: James Christie.
