Dundee beat Livingston 3-2 at Dens Park to secure their first league win of the season and they did it in the most dramatic fashion. Simon Murray gave the Dark Blues a deserved lead late in the first half. When Joe Westley made it 2-0 midway through the second half the Dee looked odds on to win comfortably. But Livingston fought back and equalised through a Clark Robertson own goal and a penalty by Jeremy Bokila. Four minutes of added time were announced and in the final minute of injury time substitute Charlie Reilly won a penalty for Dundee. After an agonising delay the decision was confirmed and fellow sub Callum Jones cracked home the winner in the seventh minute of added time to the relief and joy of every Dee.
The only change for the Dark Blues from last week’s team was Cameron Congreve taking the place of the suspended Yan Dhandi after impressing as a substitute against Motherwell.
Livingston were the more composed side for the first 15 minutes. They moved the ball around smoothly, but usually at too leisurely a pace to unsettle the Dundee defence.
Robbie Muirhead got the first shot on target, but was never likely to beat Jon McCracken from a tight angle and the Dee keeper pushed the ball round the post. Macaulay Tait might have done better than hit a shot from 16 yards straight at McCracken after the Dee defence had failed to clear.
After that slightly uncomfortable opening the Dark Blues settled into their game and had the better of the rest of the first half. Dundee moved the ball forward faster than Livingston and had some joy down the wings.
A feature of the first half was Livingston’s failing to press the Dundee defenders on the ball in their own half. That gave Dundee the time to pick their passes forward, and they did so to good effect.
Clark Robertson sent Cameron Congreve away down the right with a fine long pass, but neither Simon Murray nor Joe Westley could take advantage of the resulting scramble from the low cross. Livingston keeper Jerome Prior was lucky to get away with palming a fierce cross from Westley down into the six yard box, but the loose ball broke the way of Livi rather than the Dee.
Livingston’s only real attack in the latter stages of the half ended with McCracken saving Muirhead’s shot from Lewis Smith’s cutback.
Dundee always carried the greater goal threat towards the end of the first half and it was no surprise when they took the lead in the 43rd minute. The goal came from a move they’d tried to pull off before and this time they executed it perfectly.
Clark Robertson launched an accurate long diagonal pass over the head of left back Adam Montgomery. Congreve raced into space down the right and sent a fast low pass across goal for Simon MURRAY to smack the ball home at the far post.
Dundee continued to attack promisingly in the early stages of the second half. Time and again they worked their way into dangerous positions. Frustratingly they couldn’t get the final ball right or penaty box scrambles would break in Livingston’s favour.
After 64 minutes Congreve picked up a misplaced pass on the halfway line. He ran into space created by Murray’s run to distract the defence and cut inside onto his left foot to shoot. Keeper Prior pulled off a superb save at the expense of a corner.
Two minutes later Dundee put their game together to score a beautiful goal, very similar to the first. Fin Robertson played a lovely pass inside Montgomery to send Congreve away. This time the fast low cross was tucked home at the far post by Joe WESTLEY, his fist goal for the Dee.
Dundee continued to threaten and looked sure to go on and take the three points comfortably. However, Livingston made three substitutions and livened up. The Dark Blues were coping with the attempted fight back but an unfortunate own goal by Clark Robertson transformed the game. A low cross struck his shin and flew past McCracken.
From being comfortably in charge of the game Dundee were suddenly under pressure as Livingston gained belief and charged forward looking for an equaliser.
Callum Jones had already come on for Tony Yogane and straight after the goal Emile Acquah, Ashley Hay and Imari Samuels replacle Simon Murray, Joe Westley and Cameron Congreve.
A goal could have come at either end but Livingston broke from a Dundee attack and Clark Robertson was judged to have fouled Lewis Smith in the penalty area. Substitute Jeremy BOKILA smashed the spot kick into the top corner to equalise.
Dundee should have retaken the lead immediately. Luke Graham’s cross took a deflection that set up Ash Hay in front of goal, but the striker headed over the bar. As Dundee tried desperately to get a winner Charlie Reilly came off the bench to replace Fin Robertson.
There were four minutes of injury time and in the fourth minute the Livingston supporters behind McCracken’s goal thought they were going to grab a late winner. Connor McLennan got free on the left and his low cross found Lewis Smith. Somehow McCracken saved with Ryan Astley clearing off the line.
Perhaps Livingston lost their concentration at the miss because they were wide open when Dundee broke at pace. Reilly ran into the penalty area and was tripped by Danny Wilson. Referee Ross Hardie immediately pointed to the spot. Livingston delayed the spot kick while a player was treated for injury in the penalty area. When Callum Jones was about to take the penalty the referee was belatedly called to the VAR monitor to review his decision.
Finally, three minutes after the inital foul, the referee confirmed his decision, and Callum JONES scored confidently into the opposite corner with the keeper going the wrong way. There was bedlam amongst the Dee support who have been accustomed to so much late agony over the last year and were ecstatic at the Dark Blues dug out that late, late victory.
After a slow start Dundee played well for most of this game and fully deserved their two goal lead. When the second goal went it was far more likely that they would extend their lead than be pegged back.
It was disappointing and worrying that the Dark Blues briefly lost the plot and allowed Livingston back into the game, but the Dee’s spirit and determination to keep going for that late, late winner were encouraging.
The defence was mostly sound for 70 minutes, the midfield was much better than in the previous home games, and Dundee carried serious goal threat once again. It was marvellous to see Simon Murray get off the mark in the league, and to see Joe Westley and Callum Jones claim their first goals in Dark Blue. The icing on the cake was seeing Charlie Reilly come on and make such a crucial impact after his wretched luck with injuries.
Finally, well done to Callum Jones for keeping his head during that long wait to take the winning penalty. That cannot have been easy.
Football can be a strange game, but the way the Dark Blues turned potential despair into delight in those seven added minutes sent every Dee homeward with a broad smile.
Dundee FC 4-2-3-1
Jon McCracken
Drey Wright, Ryan Astley, Clark Robertson, Luke Graham
Finlay Robertson (Charlie Reilly 89), Ethan Hamilton
Cameron Congreve (Imari Samuels 76), Joe Westley (Ashley Hay 76), Tony Yogane (Callum Jones 71)
Simon Murray (c) (Emile Acquah 76)
Unused substitutes: Trevor Carson (gk), Ethan Ingram, Billy Koumetio, Plamen Galabov.
Goals: Murray (43), Westley (66), Jones (90+7 pen).
Booked: Acquah (foul on Prior).
Livingston 4-2-3-1
Prior
Finlayson, Blaney, Wilson, Montgomery
Sylla (May 58) Tait (Susoho 69)
Smith, Pittman (Carey 69), Yenghi (McLennan 58)
Muirhead (Bokila58)
Unused substitutes: Hamilton (gk), Winter, Robinson, Shinnie.
Goals: Clark Robertson (74 og), Bokile (83 pen).
Booked: Sylla (foul on Yogane), Tait (foul on Congreve), May (foul on Hamilton).
Attendance: 5,108.
Referee: Ross Hardie. Assistants: Jonathan Bell, Liam Duncan. VAR: Steven McLean. Assistant VAR: Gary Hilland.
Report: James Christie.
