Dundee got their Premier Sports Cup campaign under way in Midlothian with a spectacular 7-1 demolition of Bonnyrigg Rose. The Dee could have been three up after 10 minutes, but then ran in three goals in only five minutes from Curtis Main, Antonio Portales and Lyall Cameron. Main added a fourth before half time. Ryan Astley made it five early in the second half and Cameron added a sixth. Bonnyrigg pulled a consolation goal back from Smart Osadolor before Main completed the scoring and his hat trick with the Dee’s seventh.
The Dark Blues started their competitive season with a familiar line-up. Only Ethan Ingram wasn’t with Dundee last season. New signing Simon Murray was on the bench and Seb Palmer-Houlden was injured.
Dundee ripped into a stunned home team straight from the kick off and should have taken the lead after 20 seconds. Curtis Main’s low cross flew through the goalmouth and Fin Robertson smashed his shot against the crossbar and blazed over from rebound.
The Dee’s furious attacking was relentless. Ethan Ingram shot across goal and wide from Luke McCowan’s pass. Main headed a McCowan cross over the bar from close range. McCowan took a pass from Ingram and shot narrowly over the bar. This was all in the opening five minutes.
Rose couldn’t cope with the pace of Scott Tiffoney who raced past the last defender and keeper but saw his shot from a tight angle cleared.
Finally, and inevitably, the dam broke in the 12th minute. McCowan combined in a fast attack with Tiffoney before passing across goal for Curtis MAIN to knock home from close in.
Three minutes later Robertson took a free kick on the left just outside the penalty area. His pacey delivery to the near post found Antonio PORTALES who sent a glancing header into the net for the second goal.
The Dark Blues kept roaring forward. Tiffoney raced down the left and played a low ball across for Lyall CAMERON to score – three goals in five minutes!
Dundee didn’t ease up. Tiffoney again raced clear and touched the ball past the keeper but again his shot was cleared off the line.
Just after the half hour Dundee’s pressure brought goal number four. A fast Dee attack featuring quick passes from Cameron and McCowan and a clever backheel by Main allowed Cameron to run through the middle and unselfishly pass to MAIN who smashed in his second of the afternoon.
At half time Josh Mulligan came on for Ethan Ingram and his pace, strength and skill gave the beleaguered Bonnyrigg defence yet more problems to cope with.
After 52 minutes a Dee corner on the right was cleared to the left. McCowan crossed and Main headed on for Ryan ASTLEY to score from a few yards out.
The Dee were utterly dominant and the only doubt was how many more goals they would score. Midway though the second half we saw the best goal of the day. Lyall CAMERON ran clear after a swift exchange of passes with McCowan and scored coolly..
Within a minute Main turned a Mulligan cross over the bar from close range. Next McCowan shot against the post from Main’s cross and Main’s follow up struck a defender and looped the wrong side of the crossbar. Main tried to complete his hat trick with an outrageous shot from almost on the left touchline and only just missed the angle of the far post and bar.
Surprisingly Bonnyrigg pulled a goal back with 15 minutes to go when the Dark Blues briefly switched off. Dean Watson picked up a loose ball on the right of the Dee goal and set up Smart OSADOLOR to score from close range.
If anything that only annoyed the Dark Blues and they duly scored the seventh four minutes later. Bonnyrigg couldn’t clear a corner and Cameron chipped a cross into the goalmouth for Curtis MAIN to head in his third.
Dundee kept hunting an eighth goal. Mulligan had two dangerous shot, both well saved by keeper Michael Andrews. The first rebounded against Main with the ball bobbling around the post. The second effort was turned round the post.
Charlie Reilly had come on for Scott Tiffoney half way through the second half and sadly he limped off injured right at the end.
This was an outstandingly ruthless demolition of a League Two team who were completely outclassed. The Dark Blues were in complete control throughout the afternoon. Dundee thrilled the travelling support with the way that they ripped into Bonnyrigg from the very first minute. Rose were never given a chance to get a foothold in the match and the Dee could easily have reached double figures. Well done lads!
Bonnyrigg Rose 3-5-2
Andrews
Mailer, Young, Mercer (Grigor 36), Martyniuk
Higginbotham (Watson 55), Barrett (Rodden 55), Mercer, Somerville
Arnott, Wardell (Osadolor 55)
Unused subs: Anderson (gk), Scarborough.
Goal: Osadolor (75).
Booked: Mailer (foul on Cameron), Arnott (foul on McCracken).
Dundee FC 3-1-4-2
McCracken
Astley, McGhee, Portales
Sylla
Ingram, McCowan, Cameron, Fin Robertson
Main, Tiffoney (Reilly 66 (Richardson 90))
Unused substitutes: Carson (gk), Murray, Kerr, Anderson, Graham, Lochhead.
Goals: Main (12, 31, 79), Portales (15), Cameron (17, 63), Astley (52).
Booked: none.
Referee: Dan McFarlane. Assistants: Steven Traynor, David Dunne.
Attendance: 987.
Report: James Christie.
