Dundee were beaten 2-0 by Livingston in West Lothian tonight. After a scrappy first half the Dark Blues conceded twice following corners early in the second half. Both times Bruce Anderson took advantage of poor Dee defending. There was no way back for the Dark Blues, and Livingston went on to earn a deserved win.
Dundee were able to field a much more familiar line up after a Covid weakened team lost at Aberdeen in the Boxing Day game. Charlie Adam, Max Anderson, Paul McMullan and Danny Mullen all returned to the starting eleven.
The game got off to a slow start with neither keeper being involved in the opening exchanges. The first incident was a worrying injury for Jordan Marshall who pulled up, clutching his hamstring. He was replaced by Christie Elliott with only six minutes played.
The Dark Blues were first to threaten, with what proved to be their best move of the game. Danny Mullen drove in from the left. Paul McGowan moved the ball on for Paul McMullen who took a clever touch to make space for a shot from 18 yards. Max Stryjek saved well at the expense of a corner.
Livingston went close when the Dee were caught out by a long pass out of defence by Nicky Devlin. Bruce Anderson nipped past the Dark Blue defensive line, but Adam Legzdins raced out to block the attempted lob.
The game might have been open with both sides trying to attack, but nobody could find the right passes to build dangerous moves. The Dark Blues were particularly guilty of poorly executed passes when they worked their way into good positions.
Midway through the half Dundee had a fortunate escape when the defence failed to deal with a cross into the six yard box. The ball broke to Bruce Anderson but Legzdins parried the shot and Jordan McGhee scrambled the follow up off the line.
At the end of the first half Cammy Kerr ran in from the left wing only to be fouled 22 yards from goal. It looked a promising position, but Luke McCowan’s free kick was several feet too high.
The opening 60 seconds of the second half were a nightmare for the Dee defence. Odin Bailey took advantage of defensive hesitancy to send Anderson through, but Legzdins made a fine save to divert the shot onto the bar and over for a corner.
The escape lasted only a few seconds. Dundee half cleared the corner, but James Penrice stuck out a boot to block the clearance. ANDERSON picked up the rebound, turned and shot through Legzdins’ legs to give Livingston the lead.
Dundee offered little in response. The nearest the Dark Blues came to creating a chance came when Mullen headed on for McGowan. Stryjek reacted quickly and smothered the ball before McGowan could take advantage.
The second goal came after 56 minutes and was even more disappointing than the first. A corner landed beyond the far post. Dundee couldn’t clear and Ayo Obileye kept the ball alive, driving it back into the goalmouth. It ricocheted to ANDERSON, who again scored with a low shot from a difficult angle.
Josh Mulligan came on for Charlie Adam, and then Alex Jakubiak and Leigh Griffiths replaced Paul McGowan and Paul McMullan. Nothing changed, however. There was still a disappointing lack of creativity with the Dark Blues offering very little goal threat.
Livingston were able to control the game too easily in the last half hour. They handled all Dundee’s attacks competently and always looked the more likely side to score. The game drifted to a conclusion with Livingston’s three points safe long before the final whistle.
Dundee’s midfield was disappointing and was second best tonight. Without hitting any heights Livingston had the creative and physical edge in the middle of the park. That allowed the home side regular opportunities to test a Dundee defence that was never comfortable under pressure or dealing with balls over the top. The Dundee attackers were largely starved of scraps to work with and endured a frustrating night.
This was a game from which Dundee needed to take something to prevent Livingston opening up a gap. They never looked like emerging victorious, and Livingston fully deserved their win.
Livingston 3-5-1-1
Stryjek
Fitzwater, Obileye, Devlin (c)
Bailey (Forrest 73), Holt, Pittman, Omeonga, Penrice (Longridge 83)
Shinnie (Chukwuemeka 66)
Anderson (Montano 83)
Unused subs: Maley (gk), Boyes, McMillan, Jacobs, Kabia.
Goals: Anderson (46, 56).
Booked: Shinnie (foul on McMullan), Pittman (foul on Kerr), Holt (foul on Anderson).
Dundee FC 4-2-3-1
Legzdins
Kerr, Fontaine, McGhee, Marshall (Elliott 6)
Adam (Mulligan 57), Anderson
McMullan (Griffiths 64), McGowan (Jakubiak 64), McCowan
Mullen
Unused subs: Lawlor (gk), Byrne, Robertson, Cummings.
Booked: Anderson (foul on Shinnie), Adam (reaction to foul), Mulligan (foul on Devlin).
Attendance: 1,612.
Referee: David Dickinson. Assistants: Daniel McFarlane, Steven Traynor. Fourth Official: William Collum.
Report: James Christie.
