A poor performance by the Dark Blues resulted in a 3-1 home defeat against Partick Thistle tonight. Brian Graham put the Jags ahead from a corner shortly before half time, and scored again from a corner in the second half. Jordan McGhee pulled a goal back, but Scott Tiffoney immediately restored Thistle’s two goal advantage, and the Jags finished as worthy winners.
The Dark Blues made two changes from the team that drew with Inverness on Saturday. Ryan Clampin and Luke Hannant both made their first starts, taking up the left back and left midfield positions. They replaced Jordan Marshall and Josh Mulligan who were on the bench.
Dundee started slowly and never picked up the pace in a poor first half. The Jags were the better side in between the penalty areas but neither side could break through to set up chances. Thistle did most of the attacking without troubling the Dee defence greatly in open play.
The Dark Blues attacks consisted of the occasional break that amounted to nothing, and a few poorly delivered crosses from promising positions.
It took 25 minutes for the game to produce the first shot. Kyle Turner hit a 22 yard free kick wide with Adam Legzdins not thinking it worth a dive.
Dundee’s only moment of danger before the opening goal came after 38 minutes. Jordan McGhee played in Paul McMullan to hit a low angled shot that Jamie Sneddon saved well at full stretch.
The Dark Blues had been caught out twice by short corners to players running out late from the crowded goalmouth. Thistle couldn’t take advantage either time, but they took the lead from a strictly orthodox, and badly defended, corner after 40 minutes. The ball was allowed to bounce eight yards out and ricocheted to Brian GRAHAM in front of goal. The veteran striker had no difficulty scooping his shot into the back of the net.
Dundee came close to levelling on the stroke of half time. Following a corner keeper Sneddon fumbled the second ball into the goalmouth but Ryan Sweeney’s close range header struck the head of a Jags defender. It would hardly have been a deserved equaliser.
At half time Josh Mulligan replaced Paul McMullan. The winger had a disappointing first half, but he was certainly not the only possible candidate to be substituted.
Dundee did improve after the interval, but not enough to trouble Thistle unduly. Most of the game was in the Jags’ half and there was more energy. There was, however, little control or composure and the away defence was never under serious and sustained pressure.
Midway through the half Dundee made a triple substitution. Ben Williamson, Max Anderson and Luke McCowan replace Barry Maguire, Lyall Cameron and Luke Hannant. It made little difference.
Dundee might have conceded another soft goal from a corner. Everyone missed the delivery allowing Graham to volley from six yards, but tamely straight at Legzdins.
Two minutes later the Dark Blues did hand Thistle the crucial second goal from a corner. It was headed on for GRAHAM to shoot home at the back post.
There was a spark of life in response from the Dee. Anderson made a skillful and determined run into the penalty are from the left, but could find no-one with his pass. Ryan Clampin did the same and shot high over the bar.
After 80 minutes Dundee did pull a goal back. Williamson did well to dribble clear on the left and crossed beyond the far post. Mulligan knocked the ball back for Jordan McGHEE to shoot into the roof of the net from close range.
Dundee had given themselves a glimmer of hope, but it was snuffed out within seconds. A complete loss of concentration allowed Thistle to attack down the left from the kick off and send Scott TIFFONEY clear to shoot past Legzdins.
Before the restart Alex Jakubiak came on for Cammy Kerr, and immediately produced a neat piece of skill to turn and shoot. Sneddon responded with the save of the night to turn the shot over the bar.
That was the end of Dundee’s challenge and Partick were able to manage the game comfortably to the final whistle. The disappointing night was capped by the sight of Lee Ashcroft leaving the field injured, forcing the Dee to play the last few minutes with 10 men.
There were no bad luck stories tonight and no excuses. Dundee were poor. They created very little in attack. The midfield was disjointed, and the defending was not good enough at set pieces. Thistle were comfortably the better side on the night, mainly because they held the ball far better, didn’t make mistakes, and took their chances.
Dundee FC 4-2-3-1
Legzdins
Kerr (Jakubiak 82), Ashcroft, Sweeney (c), Clampin
Maguire (Anderson 64), Cameron (Williamson 64)
McMullan (Mulligan at half time), McGhee, Hannant (McCowan 62#4)
Robinson
Unused subs: Sharp (gk), Marshall, Fisher, Tolaj.
Goal: McGhee (80).
Booked: none.
Partick Thistle 4-3-2-1
Sneddon
McMillan, McAvoy, Muirhead, Milne
Turner (MacKenzie 82), Docherty (c), Bannigan
Lawless (Fitzpatrick 64), Tiffoney (Mullen 82)
Graham (Hodson 86)
Unused subs: Mitchell (gk), McKinnon, Owens, Lyon, Stevenson.
Goals: Graham (40, 74), Tiffoney (81).
Booked: McAvoy (foul on Robinson), Graham (foul on Kerr), McMillan (foul on McGhee).
Referee: Don Robertson. Assistants: Graham Chambers, Ian Hart.
Attendance: 4,622 (323 away).
Report: James Christie.
