Match Report by James Christie
A late collapse at home to Motherwell cost Dundee all three points this afternoon. The Dark Blues were leading 2-0 with 20 minutes to go following Jordan McGhee’s goal late in the first half and a goal direct from a corner by Luke McCowan midway through the second half. However, a quick double from Georgie Gent and Theo Bair brought Well back on level terms and Moses Ebiye scored the winner in added time. The Dee had the edge up until half time, but had no answer when Motherwell fought back in the second half.
The only change to the Dark Blues starting eleven following last week’s win Perth was the return of Jordan McGhee at right wing back. He replaced Dara Costelloe who switched to left wing back with Owen Dodgson dropping on to the bench.
The game got off to a measured, even slow, start with neither side willing to take risks on a tricky pitch. Dundee showed the neater touches in midfield with the trio of Mo Sylla, Lyall Cameron and Luke McCowan keeping play flowing and finding teammates with quick passes even under pressure. Motherwell were more wasteful in possession and looked dangerous in the first half only from corners.
Well’s Blair Spittal almost set up a Dee goal when he miskicked a low corner from Dara Costelloe, but the defence scrambled clear from the goalmouth scramble.
Scott Tiffoney’s through pass almost sent Amadou Bakayoko clear but keeper Liam Kelly raced out to beat the Dee striker to the ball. On the half hour mark Cameron’s fierce shot following a corner was charged down.
The opening goal arrived after 36 minutes. Aaron Donnelly’s deep cross from the left found no takers. Camerom retrieved the ball and sent over a superb cross to the far post. Bakayoko headed back across goal leaving Jordan McGHEE with a simple header to make it 1-0.
Three minutes later another good attack ended when Tiffoney couldn’t quite get his shot away from 10 yards out. That was pretty much the high point as far as Dundee’s performance was concerned. From then on Motherwell were the better side.
Motherwell responded strongly to falling behind and put the Dee under pressure in the remaining few minutes before half time. They didn’t create any serious danger, but it was a warning which Dundee ignored.
The second half started in a similar vein, but whereas Well’s first half attacks had been diffident and largely ineffective they were now far more dangerous. The first warning came when Bair and Spittal combined well before Spittal shot over from 18 yards.
Motherwell were moving the ball around much more quickly and accurately. Spittal and Gent worked another good move on the left before Vale shot wildly over from 16 yards.
Michael Mellon came on for Scott Tiffoney midway through the second half. The Dee perked up briefly for a few minutes and Luke McCowan missed by inches from the edge of the penalty area. Dundee then extended their lead with the strangest of goals after 70 minutes.
Luke McCOWAN took a corner on the right. Everyone missed his viciously inswinging delivery and the the ball flew straight into the net inside the far post.
The second goal was against the run of play but Dundee should certainly have taken advantage of their good luck to manage the game out.
Motherwell didn’t let the setback upset them and responded well, putting the Dee under pressure once again. With 15 minutes of normal time left Dundee cleared a corner only for the dreaded announcement to be made, “VAR review for possible penalty”. After a couple of minutes referee David Dickinson went to the monitor before returning to the pitch and pointing to the penalty spot. Apparently Joe Shaughnessy handled.
Theo Bair took the penalty only for Jon McCracken to pull off a fine save. The cheers from the home support were instantly choked off when George GENT followed up to score. There was a further lengthy VAR review to check whether there had been encroachment into the penalty area. Eventually the goal was allowed, about four minutes after original handball incident.
The goal gave Well a fresh surge of momentum and the Dark Blues fell out of the match for a critical few minutes in which they could do nothing right.
Within two minutes of play restarting a long ball through the middle found BAIR up against Donnelly. The Well striker muscled Donnelly out of the way, ran on and rounded McCracken to score.
Another pass through the middle almost allowed Bair to do the same again but the ball got stuck between his feet and Dundee escaped.
There was going to be only one winner by this stage, but Dundee seemed to have steadied themselves and looked capable of holding on for a point. Six minutes of added time were announced, and it was clearly going to be a long six minutes.
In the third minute of added time Dundee had the chance to break out of defence but lost the ball on the left wing. Jack Vale had room to cross and substitute Moses EBIYE scored with an emphatic near post volley.
Motherwell had no problems seeing out the remaining few minutes and took the plaudits from their supporters for a deserved win.
Without being particularly impressive Dundee were the better side in the first half. They might have had pass marks at half time but it was obvious that the Dark Blues would have to improve if Motherwell staged any sort of comeback. Instead Dundee caved in against an impressive fightback.
The second half was by some distance the poorest that Dundee have played this season against a team in the bottom half of the table. The defence was vulnerable, especialy on the flanks where Dundee couldn’t stop crosses coming in. The midfield, so impressive for most of the season, was largely invisible with Motherwell making passes and finding space with little interference from the Dark Blues. The attackers had nothing to work with.
Results elsewhere mean that securing a top six place is still in the Dee’s hands, but they will have to play much better than this if they are to earn that prize. Today, sadly, the Dark Blues did not play like a top six team.
Dundee FC 3-5-2
McCracken
Portales, Shaughnessy (c), Donnelly
McGhee, Cameron (Robinson 90+5), Sylla, McCowan, Costelloe
Bakayoko, Tiffoney (Mellon 68)
Unused subs: Legzdins (gk), Sharp (gk), Dodgson, Astley, Robertson, Boateng, Mutale.
Goals: McGhee (36), McCowan (70).
Booked: Bakayoko (foul on Gent), Mellon (foul on McGinn).
Motherwell 3-4-1-2
Kelly
Casey, McGinn, Blaney
Devine (O’Donnell at half time), Zdravkovski (Ebiye 74), Halliday (Miller 74), Gent
Spittal
Vale (Butcher 90+4), Bair
Unused subs: Oxborough (gk), Mugabi, Shaw, Nicholson, Ross.
Goals: Gent (78), Bair (81), Ebiye (90+3).
Referee: David Dickinson. Assistants: Gordon Crawford, John McCrossan. Fourth Official: Scott Lambie. VAR: Kevin Clancy. Assistant VAR: Gary Hilland.
Attendance: 5,924 (510 away).
Report: James Christie.
