Dundee’s 1-0 win created a small piece of club history today by claiming the club’s first ever league success away to Inverness Caley Thistle. Paul McMullan scored a top quality goal midway through the first half and Dundee held out well in the second half to take a deserved win, their fourth successive victory in the league which lifts them into second place in the Championship. The happy and very noisy travelling Dees provided wonderful support throughout and revelled in the celebrations at the final whistle.
Dundee made two changes to the team that started the cup tie against Airdrie. In goal Adam Legzdins replaced Ian Lawlor, who was ruled out by his concussion injury. Tyler French came in at right wing back, replacing Josh Mulligan who moved into an attacking role as Paul McMullan took up a slightly deeper 10 position behind the strikers with Max Anderson named as a substitute.
The game had a quiet opening and neither goalkeeper was troubled before the Dee took the lead after 26 minutes. The Dark Blues were the more composed team in midfield with the home side repeatedly guilty of giving the ball away too easily. Dundee looked the physically stronger side and tended to come out on top in tussles for loose balls.
The opening goal arrived when Ben Williamson found space in midfield to run through the inside left channel. He fed the ball out to Paul McMULLAN on the left wing and the Championship player of the month raced inside a defender before hitting a superb curling shot over the keeper and into the far top corner.
Caley Thistle were fortunate not to fall further behind at the end of a dangerous Dundee move. Josh Mulligan sent Zak Rudden into space on the right of the penalty area and he hammered a low cross into the goalmouth. The ball struck Max Ram, came off the underside of the crossbar and was gratefully grabbed on the goalline by keeper Cameromn MacKay.
Dundee were starting to dominate and Cammy Kerr tried to copy McMullan’s goal, but his fierce curling effort was beaten away by MacKay.
The Dee were on top but could have allowed Caley Thistle to equalise late in the half when Aaron Doran found space on the right. His cross was heading for George Oakley in front of goal till Tyler French nipped in to touch the ball away from the striker.
The last action of the half had echoes of Dundee’s second goal last week. Keeper MacKay came wide out of his box and fluffed a clearance. Rudden collected the ball, but his goalbound shot was blocked by Ram with the keeper still out of position.
Inverness made a fast and eager start to the second half but the home side were plagued by a lack of composure. They could break at speed into promising positions but never managed to turn them into goalscoring chances. Time and again they got the ball into the Dundee penalty area but the Dee defence always prevented them getting a shot on target, or even close enough to worry Adam Legzdins, who didn’t have a serious save to make in the whole match.
The second half was hardly one way traffic, however. Dundee continued to attack in a more controlled and composed manner when they got the chance, but without creating great danger.
After 70 minutes Dundee made a triple substitution. Fin Robertson, Luke McCowan and Derick Osei came on for Shaun Byrne, Ben Williamson and Zak Rudden. The change gave the Dark Blues some added energy and the Dee always looked more likely to kill the game off in the later stages than conceded an equaliser.
At the end of a fast break Luke McCowan’s angled drive was saved by MacKay, who had to save again from Josh Mulligan’s 18 yard shot later in the same prolonged attack.
Mulligan should have settled the match after 89 minutes, but scooped his shot from 12 yards over the bar after good driving play on the right by Tyler French. French took a knock setting up the chance and was replaced by Joe Grayson for the six minutes of injury time.
The Dee held out comfortably to the final whistle against a team who always worked hard and kept running but struggled to do more than lift high balls into the penalty area where the Dark Blues’ central defenders were always in control.
After so many disappointments and frustrations for the Dee in Inverness it was certainly an pleasant change to enjoy a win and the final whistle was greeted with noisy delight by the travelling support.
Dundee’s undefeated run in the league now extends to eight games, with four wins on the bounce, and clean sheets in the last three games. Adding in the cup win against Airdrie that makes five straight wins. Dundee have found consistency at last.
It was not a spectacular win today, but it was a good, solid performance and a well deserved three points. Again, this was a fine team performance rather than a game that was lit up by individual stars. However, the winning goal was outstanding, and every Dee here today would agree that Paul McMullan gave us something special to earn this historic victory.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 4-4-1-1
Cameron Mackay
Duffy, Ram (Barrett 71), Devine (c), Harper
Shaw, Hyde (Boyd 71), Carson, Daniel MacKay
Doran (Nicolson 84)
George Oakley
Unused subs: Ridgers (gk), Strachan, Calum MacKay, Bray.
Booked: Devine (foul on Robertson).
Dundee FC 3-4-1-2
Legzdins
McGhee, Sweeney (c), Ashcroft
French (Grayson 89), Williamson (McCowan 70), Byrne (Robertson 70), Kerr
McMullan
Mulligan, Rudden (Osei 70)
Unused subs: Sharp (gk), Jakiubiak, Sheridan, Anderson, Cameron.
Goal: McMullan (26).
Booked: McGhee (foul on Carson), Mulligan (foul on Harper).
Referee: Alan Muir. Assistants: Douglas Ross, Paul O’Neill.
Attendance: 2,435.
Report: James Christie.
