Dundee guaranteed their place in next season’s Premiership with a tough and nailbiting 1-0 victory over Ross County in Dingwall. Simon Murray scored early in the second half and Dundee soaked up frantic pressure from the desperate Staggies, although the Dark Blues passed up numerous chances to pick them off on the break.
There were two changes to the Dee line-up. Lewis Spence kept his place after replacing Mark O’Hara on Saturday. Randy Wolters also started his first league game since October in the place of Roarie Deacon, who was a substitute. The Staggies brought back captain Andrew Davies and young midfielder Davis Keillor-Dunn as Harry Souttar and Max Melbourne dropped onto the bench.
County started in a whirlwind, aided by casualness in the Dee ranks. It took little more than a minute for Andrew Davies to volley a free kick into the Dundee net but the Dark Blues breathed a sigh of relief when the assistant referee flagged for offside.
The Staggies were playing at a furious pace and won a series of corners and free kicks in the Dundee half. The low sun was a problem for Dundee’s defence and County threatened to take advantage. From a corner Liam Fontaine missed a good chance with a volley at the far post as Dundee lost track of a corner swinging in from the sun.
Amidst their hard running and sharp tackling County were playing some good football that stretched Dundee. The Dark Blues couldn’t settle on the ball for the first 15 minutes, but gradually they started to impose themselves on the game.
The longer the first half wore on the more influential the Dundee midfielders became and their greater composure turned the tide against County. Dundee started to hold the ball and make good passes while the Staggies were trying to do everything in a hurry.
Randy Wolters had the Dee’s first shot after 20 yards at the end of a fast break, but Scott Fox saved. Kevin Holt then saw a beautifully struck shot from the edge of the penalty area zip past the post.
For the second game running the opposition replaced their goalkeeper at half time. Aaron McCarey came on for Scott Fox.
Dundee started the second half as they had the first by surviving a scare. A dangerous County attack down the right ended with Naismith’s cross finding Keillor-Dunn in space at the far post, but he volleyed wildly over the bar from six yards.
The Dee’s next dangerous attack produced a scramble in County’s penalty area resulting in the corner that brought the winning goal. Randy Wolters played it short to Lewis Spence, collected a return pass and whipped over a low cross. Craig Wighton dummied and Simon MURRAY reacted quickly as the ball came up off the grass to guide his header past McCarey.
County responded with furious pressure on Dundee but they rarely had the composure they needed. The Dark Blues had the cooler heads and should have made the points safe long before the end, but couldn’t turn a series of dangerous breaks into a killer second goal.
For County Keillor-Dunn got a header on target, but Parish saved comfortably. The best chance for the Staggies came to substitute David Ngog, but after fighting his way clear in a crowded penalty area he sliced his shot wide from only six yards.
Roarie Deacon and Faissal El Bakhaoui replaced Randy Wolters and Craig Wighton and their fresh legs posed new problems for County. El Bakhtaoui sent a fierce volley over the bar when the ball broke to him from a corner.
Simon Murray twice led breaks at speed that carved County open. He kept going the first time and McCarey saved well. Next time he set up Paul McGowan whose curling shot came back off the post. Murray had another great chance when Roarie Deacon raced away from inside his own half. He sent Murray clear, but again McCarey saved the Staggies.
Late in the game Dundee had a final escape when Michael Gardyne went down inside the penalty area under a challenge from El Bakhtaoui. Instead of winning a penalty he received a yellow card for diving, which might well have been a harsh decision.
At the final whistle the Dundee players went over to thank the support celebrating in the away stand. The Dark Blues might be safe, but this result leaves County teetering on the cliff edge. The home players sank to the turf in despair knowing how much this result means to their club.
Earlier in the season Dundee lost games they should have won after missing good chances. Tonight these misses didn’t return to haunt them as the defence stood firm, deserving their second consecutive clean sheet, a feat they last managed in November 2016. The Dee have put in better performances and played prettier football. Tonight they did the business efficiently and coped well with a very difficult game, earning the vital result they needed.
Ross County 4-4-2
Fox (McCarey at half time)
Fraser, Davies (c), Fontaine, Naismith,
Gardyne, Draper, Lindsay, Keillor-Dunn
Schalk (Curran 73), McKay (Ngog 80)
Unused subs: Souttar, Dow, Melbourne, Kait.
Booked McKay (foul on McGowan), Naismith (foul on O’Dea), Davies (foul on McGowan), Gardyne (simulation).
Dundee FC 4-2-3-1
Parish
Kerr, Caulker, O’Dea, Holt
Spence (Kusunga 86), Kamara
Wolters (Deacon 61), McGowan (c), Wighton (El Bakhtaoui 68)
Murray
Unused subs: Ferrie (gk), Leitch-Smith, Aurtenetxe, Piggott.
Goal: Murray (50).
Booked: Wolters (foul on Draper), Spence (foul on Draper), Kamara (foul on Schalk), Murray (goal celebration), .
Attendance: 3,976.
Referee: Andrew Dallas. Assistants: Stuart Stevenson, Graham Chambers. 4th official: Steven Reid.
Report: James Christie.
