Dundee put in a superb team performance to beat high flying Motherwell 2-1 at Dens Park this afternoon. Tony Yogane put the Dee ahead in the first half. Motherwell dominated possession but couldn’t break down the Dundee defence till Callum Slattery equalised with a fine free kick 12 minutes from the end of normal time. Instead of feeling sorry for themselves the Dark Blues grabbed a late winner from substitute Fin Robertson, and richly deserved the ecstatic ovation they received from the supporters at the final whistle.
Dundee fielded an unchanged line-up for the third game in a row despite the return from injury of several first team players.
The match got off to a slow start with no goal threat and little excitement in a cagey opening 10 minutes. Motherwell showed their impressive ability to hold the ball and probe for openings but the Dundee defence coped. That was the pattern for the whole match.
The first shot on target came after 12 minutes at the end of a quick Well attack down the left. Jon McCracken saved with a boot from Tawanda Maswanhise’s angled shot.
For all Motherwell’s possession they struggled to create good chances against the Dark Blue defence. Dundee had difficulty building attacks in the first half, sometimes opting for over ambitious passes that failed to pay off. The best Dee opportunity in the opening half hour was an optimistic effort from 50 yards by Cam Congreve. Keeper Calum Ward was off his line but the shot dropped a yard wide.
Motherwell looked certain to score on the half hour mark but Jon McCracken pulled off a superb save from Lukas Fadinger’s close range shot and the Austrian midfielder shot wide at the end of the resulting scramble. The visitors never had as good a chance again.
The Dark Blues took full advantage of the escape and quickly took the lead. Imari Samuel’s deep cross was retrieved by Drey Wright who crossed to the far post. The Well defence was dragged out of position and Tony YOGANE nipped in to poke the ball over the line.
That was Yogane’s first goal for the Dee and he almost added a second two minutes later but headed wide from Congreve’s tempting cross.
The final 10 minutes of the first half were spent with Motherwell continuing to hog possession but without finding the inspiration to break down the Dee defence.
Well made two substitutions at half time sending on Sparrow and Bjørgolfsson for O’Donnell and Said. However, the game continued throughout the second half in exactly the same vein. Motherwell’s passing and movement through to the final third was always impressive, but the Dee defence was impeccable.
The Dark Blues made a triple substitution just after the hour. That injected fresh energy into the team and transformed the game. Ash Hay, Joe Westley and Fin Robertson came on for Simon Murray, Tony Yogane and Joel Cotterill. The Dee were now more mobile and dangerous in attack and more solid in midfield.
Ash Hay had the ball in the net only a minute after coming on when he turned in a Congreve cross but from an offside position. Hay then glanced a near post header narrowly wide from Congreve’s corner as Dundee kept threatening to add a second goal.
Congreve came agonisingly close to the crucial second goal when he cut in from the right and flashed a curling shot across Ward against the underside of the crossbar.
Frustratingly Motherwell’s equaliser came during Dundee’s best spell of the match. Well won a free kick 30 yards from goal and Callum SLATTERY scored with a fine curling shot over the wall and into McCracken’s top corner.
Motherwell sensed the possibility of victory and piled forward looking for the winner. However, the extra space they left was exploited by the Dark Blues who grabbed the winning goal themselves after 84 minutes.
Hay and Congreve played Westley into space on the right and he sent a low ball across goal for Fin ROBERTSON to tap home at the far post.
Motherwell continued to attack but Dundee’s defensive discipline and concentration never faltered and none of the pressure led to a real chance. Maswanhise did manage to get a late header on target, but without the power to trouble McCracken.
The Dee support roared the team through the five minutes of added time and the final whistle was met with delight. The Dark Blues had to work like Trojans to take all three points today. It was a magnicent performance, a triumph of organisation and discipline, and constant, relentless hard work.
Motherwell are a phenomenally difficult team to play against. Their organisation, movement and passing are so effective that it sometimes looks as if they are fielding 15 men. They always had players available in the right place to press Dees, and in space to keep attacks moving. They play very good football but the Dark Blues stopped them getting the opportunities that Well normally create. Beating this Motherwell team was a tremendous achievement.
The sponsors’ man of the match was announced as Cam Congreve. It would have been a very difficult choice because the whole team was excellent and every player made a vital contribution. The Dees in the stands loved the commitment they saw from the Dees on the pitch, and they relished the three points that the team earned with this performance.
Dundee 4-1-4-1
Jon McCracken
Drey Wright, Ryan Astley, Luke Graham, Imari Samuels
Ethan Hamilton
Cameron Congreve, Yan Dhanda (Brad Halliday 90+1), Joel Cotterill (Fin Robertson 63), Tony Yogane (Joe Westley 63)
Simon Murray (c) (Ash Hay 63)
Unused substitutes: Kieran O’Hara (gk), Paul Digby, Lewis Montsma, Charlie Reilly, Scott Wright.
Goals: Tony Yogane (32), Fin Robertson (84).
Booked: Graham (foul on Bjørgolfsson), Hamilton (timewasting), Robertson (timewasting perhaps), Congreve (timewasting perhaps).
Motherwell FC 4-3-3
Ward
O’Donnell (Sparrow at half time), McGinn, Welsh, Longelo (Charles-Cook 66)
Fadinger (Priestman 38 (Nicholson 85)), Watt, Slattery
Said (Bjørgolfsson at half time), Maswanhise, Just
Unused substitutes: Connelly (gk), Gordon, McGhee, Ross.
Goal: Slattery (78).
Booked: Said (foul on Hamilton), McGinn (foul on Hay).
Attendance: 6,304.
Referee: Dan McFarlane. Assistants: Gordon Crawford, Alastair Taylor. VAR: John Beaton. Assistant VAR: Kevin Clancy.
Report: James Christie.
