Dundee finished their under 19 league season with a disastrous defeat away to Angus neighbours Forfar Athletic at Station Park on Sunday afternoon.
The young Dark Blues suffered a blow just before the start when John Black, who had been named in the starting line-up, had to pull out, his place going to under 19 debutant Sean Gallacher.
Dundee started well and Thomas Carberry shot just wide from the edge of the box. A good move involving Lee Cameron and Josh Skelly was cleared away from the danger area by Forfar full-back James Yates.
On six minutes Carberry had a chance with a free kick from the angle of the box but his effort hit the side netting.
Two minutes later, at the other end, the home side’s Gavin Thomson just clipped the top of John Bonnar’s bar with a 15-yard shot. Forfar were coming more into the match and a strong run up the right wing by Yates saw his cross headed over by Kerr Hay.
A couple of fine tackles by Gallacher prevented the home side from carving out any clear cut chances.
A flowing move involving Gary Duggan, Calvin Colquhoun and Skelly ended with Skelly’s shot being parried into the path of Max Avolio but the winger couldn’t reach the ball to turn it in.
On 27 minutes a Jack Neave cross was headed against the post by Cameron and the ball was hammered away for a corner. Sivewright picked it up and sent in a 25-yard shot which keeper Ross Salmon easily held.
The Dens men hit the woodwork again three minutes later through Skelly and Avolio’s rebound was blocked by ex-Dens Parker Frankie Lannen. Despite claims for hand ball the referee waved play on.
But it was the Loons who opened the scoring on 36 minutes when Gavin Thomson took advantage of hesitancy in the Dundee ranks to send his shot high into the net past Bonnar.
Almost immediately, the Dark Blues equalised, Cameron hooking home from close in following a corner.
At the other end, Hay, who was running the midfield for Forfar, shot narrowly wide.
A minute before half time the home side regained the lead when the Dens defence failed to clear their lines and Callum McConnell smashed the ball home.
HT: Forfar 2 Dundee 1
It took only a minute into the second period for Forfar to add to their lead when Lannen, at the back post, headed home from a corner kick.
Coach Gavin Burns then replaced Gary Duggan with Calum McHardy.
Then came a bizarre incident when Bonnar’s goal kick went out for a corner. That led to a second corner which Cammy Clark headed home to give the home side a 4-1 lead.
Dundee seemed to disintegrate at that point and Hay took advantage of more hesitancy in defence to nip in and score the fifth.
A minute later and it was six. Neave brought down Thomson and Hay stepped up to give Bonnar no chance from the spot.
Dundee made a double substitution, bring on Greg Warwick and Ryan Lamond for Neave and Cammy Black and this, aided by Colquhoun moving back into central defence, seemed to steady the ship.
On the hour mark Avolio was put through but keeper Salmon came out quickly to block him.
McConnell had the ball in the net again for Forfar but was ruled offside, but, in the final minute, they did grab the seventh. Clark did well to round the keeper but he mishit his shot from two yards out and it hit substitute Rudi Brown and rolled over the line.
FT: Forfar 7 Dundee 1
Forfar: Salmon, Yates, Lannen, Kane (McGregor 68), B Smith, C Smith, McConnell, Snee (Brown 68), Thomson (McLellan 61), Hay, Clark. Subs not used: Grant, Reid.
Dundee: Bonnar, Sivewright, Neave (Warwick 54), Gallacher, C Black (Lamond 54), Colquhoun, Avolio, Carberry, Cameron, Skelly, Duggan (McHardy 49).
Report: Jim Davie
