The Dee put in an excellent team performance at the Kilmac Stadium to beat Kilmarnock 2-1 in the first leg of the Premiership play-off final. Jordan McGhee and Charlie Adam scored at the start of each half and Dundee were the better team throughout the match. Killie’s goal came from Brandon Haunstrup, their only shot on target, quarter of an hour from the end. The spirited, skillful and combative Dark Blues had the edge all over the park and would have deserved to head west for the second leg on Monday with a bigger lead.
James McPake made two changes from the semi-final second leg against Raith. Liam Fontaine returned in central defence with Jordan McGhee moving forward into the midfield and Max Anderson on the bench. Danny Mullen started with Jason Cummings named as a substitute.
Kilmarnock spent the first five minutes in the Dee half without threatening Adam Legzdin’s goal. But as soon as the Dee attacked they scored. Christie Elliott moved infield and found Charlie Adam who flighted a lovely pass over the defence for Cammy Kerr to race in and cross with a first time volley. Danny Mullen’s glancing header was pushed onto the post by keeper Doyle, but Jordan McGHEE was quickest to react and poked the loose ball into the net.
Dundee could have added a second goal three minutes later when Haunstrup missed a through ball. Paul McMullan ran clear but Doyle blocked his shot.
Kilmarnock had the majority of possession, but did little with it. Their passing moves broke down and they regularly opted for long balls towards Kyle Lafferty, to no effect. With less of the ball Dundee were more direct and far more dangerous.
Killie had a five minute spell of ineffectual pressure just after the half hour mark, but the Dark Blues’ defence handled it competently. The visitors’ only two real shots in the first half were Lafferty efforts that were nowhere near the target.
Dundee came back strongly late in the half and Jordan McGhee was close to a second goal when his shot from Danny Mullen’s cutback took a deflection and went just the wrong side of the post.
The first half belonged to the Dee and many would have expected the Premiership side to come out after half time fired up by a dressing room dressing down from manager Tommy Wright. However, it was the Dark Blues who sprinted out of the blocks at the restart and scored their second goal within two minutes.
Christie Elliott’s harrying forced Killie captain Gary Dicker to lose the ball 30 yards from his own goal. Paul McMullan pounced, raced into the penalty area and laid the ball back for Charlie ADAM to smash home the vital second goal from 12 yards. For the first time the Dee captain was able to celebrate a goal in front of Dees in the stand, and he revelled in the opportunity!
Killie were rocked by the setback and were a mess for the first half hour of the second half. Dundee did all the serious attacking and constantly threatened to add to their lead. The Premiership visitors offered nothing in response, and gave the ball away repeatedly all over the park.
Christie Elliott was having one of his best games in dark blue, but was forced out of the game with a gash on his leg midway through the half. Jordan Marshall came on to play at left back with Cammy Kerr moving across to his familiar right back position. Marshall was soon at the heart of the action and caused Killie problems with his runs and skill down the left.
Danny Mullen was a constant pest, harrassing the Kilmarnock defenders and never allowing them to relax for a moment. He chased an Adam pass although Broadfoot was favourite to clear, and when the veteran defender got in a tangle he pounced and rifled a fierce rising shot for the top corner only to be foiled by a fine save from Doyle. Broadfoot’s uncomfortable evening continued when he was booked for a wild and late foul on Mullen.
After 77 minutes of utterly unconvincing attempts at attacking Killie suddenly conjured up a goal against the run of play. They worked the ball across to the left giving Brandon HAUNSTRUP the chance to shoot from the edge of the area. Mullen and Kerr flung themselves in the way to block, but the ball broke perfectly to leave the Killie left back in the clear with the two Dees on the deck. He shot through Legzdin’s leg to give Kilmarnock a barely deserved toe in the match.
Boosted by the goal they went close only a minute later when Burke’s cross struck Liam Fontaine and Legzdins saved.
The Dark Blues weathered that brief storm and took the game to Killie for the final 10 minutes. Osman Sow had come on for Paul McMullan and then Danny Mullen made way for Declan McDaid. Dundee probed but couldn’t find the third goal they would have richly deserved.
The Dundee performance tonight was much better than the tight scoreline suggests. The Dee dominated the match throughout. Kilmarnock had more possession, but that is irrelevant if teams simply make easy passes till they give the ball away. Dundee’s use of the ball, their movement and passing were all superior, and the Dee should really have had more than two goals. The Dundee defence had a fine game and restricted Kilmarnock to one shot on target, their goal.
The Premiership play-off final is very finely poised, but the Dark Blues did enough tonight to face the second leg with confidence. It will be a tough evening in Ayrshire on Monday, but if Dundee can maintain the form they showed tonight they surely have a good chance.
Dundee FC 4-2-3-1
Legzdins
Elliott (Marshall 66), Fontaine, Ashcroft, Kerr
Byrne, McGhee
McMullan (Sow 72), Adam (c), McGowan
Mullen (McDaid 79)
Unused subs: Ferrie (gk), Jakubiak, Anderson, Cummings.
Goals: McGhee (6), Adam (47).
Booked: Byrne (foul on McKenzie), Sow (foul on Doyle), Adam (foul on McKenzie).
Kilmarnock 4-2-3-1
Doyle
Millen, Broadfoot, Ibsen Rossi, Haunstrup
Power, Dicker (c)
Burke, Kiltie (McKenzie 56), Pinnock,
Lafferty
Unused subs: Rogers (gk), McGowan, Waters, Medley, Dabo, Tshibola, Oakley.
Goal: Haunstrup (77).
Booked: Millen (foul on Byrne), Burke (simulation), Broadfoot (foul on Mullen).
Referee: John Beaton. Assistants: Frank Connor, Drew Kirkland. Fourth Official: David Munro.
Attendance: 500!
Report: James Christie.
