Ryan Astley scored a 90th minute winner to give Dundee a 3-2 win against Aberdeen at Dens in the final match of the season. Drey Wright’s early goal put the Dark Blues ahead after an impressive move but Liam Morrison equalised from a corner. In added time at the end of the first hald Toyosi Olusanya gave the Dons the lead. Dundee had the better of the second half and Joe Westley equalised after an hour. Astley’s late winner, heading in from a corner, took the Dee above Aberdeen to earn eighth place in the final Premiership table of the season.
There were five changes to the starting eleven as the Dark Blues reverted to a 4-3-3 formation after playing 3-5-2 on Tuesday. Drey Wright, Ethan Hamilton, Cameron Congreve, Joe Westley, and Charlie Reilly came in for Brad Halliday, Clark Robertson, Joel Cotterill, Ash Hay, and Scott Wright.
Aberdeen had more of the attacking in the opening minutes without creating any serious threat. It was the Dark Blues who took the lead in the 10th minute with a beautifully worked goal. Ethan Hamilton switched play to the right for Drey Wright to find Cameron Congreve who had space to attack the defence. Congreve picked out a fine cross beyond the far post and Charlie Reilly headed back across goal for WRIGHT to score. It would have been a classic striker’s goal, poaching from close range, and not the sort of goal we expect full backs to score.
Aberdeen centre back Mats Knoester injured himself trying to stop the goal and was replaced by Nicky Devlin.
Dundee were playing confidently in attack now. Dons keeper Nicholas Suman saved well from Fin Robertson’s low drive as the Dee threatened to add to their lead.
However, Dundee conceded a poor equaliser when Lyall Cameron’s corner found Liam MORRISON unmarked, and the centre back hardly had to leap as he headed home from 10 yards.
The rest of the first half was an even contest with Dundee looking good coming forward, but vulnerable on occasion at the back.
The Dee had a great chance to take a half time lead when Aberdeen’s defence failed to deal with a high, dropping ball. Robertson set up Congreve, but the young winger blazed wastefully over the bar from 10 yards.
The miss was costly because it was the Dons who then grabbed the lead. Cameron’s shot from 20 yards was deflected kindly into the path of Toyosi OLUSANYA who couldn’t miss from a couple of yards out.
The opening stages of the second half drifted by with little incident. Fortunately, instead of the match petering out as a forgettable end of season affair, Dundee were able to step up their game, save the match, and go on to clinch eigth place.
Just after the hour mark the Dark Blues put together a slick move that opened up Aberdeen and brought the equaliser. Congreve’s smart flick sent Reilly racing past Morrison, the last defender. Suman saved his shot but Joe WESTLEY followed up to scoop the loose ball into the net.
Joe Bevan came on for Reilly, and showed promise with pace, skill and aggression attacking down the right. Dundee made three further changes after 76 minutes sending on Simon Murray, Joel Cotterill and Tony Yogane to replace Joe Westley, Cameron Congreve and Ethan Hamilton.
Dundee had greater energy and determination in the closing stages and always looked the more likely side to grab a winner. The Dark Blues had a string of promising attacks, none of which quite paid off.
With a couple of minutes left Luke Graham came off the bench, replacing Imari Samuels. The big defender immediately provided a big, physical threat to Aberdeen at the set pieces that the Dark Blues were earning as they pushed for a goal.
Finally, in the 90th minute, the Dark Blues got the winner they were working so hard for, and which they seemed to want more than the Dons.
Robertson’s corner from the right was met with a powerful close range header by Ryan ASTLEY. The net bulged and Dundee had three highly valuable points that took them into eighth place above Aberdeen and brings an extra six figure pay off from the SPFL.
There were good performances today from younger players who are contracted for next season. Callum Jones and Fin Robertson supported Ethan Hamilton well in midfield. Charlie Reilly was involved in good moves, and made important contributions to the first two goals. Imari Samuels always impressed coming forward, though needs to work on his concentration and judgment while defending. The defence were sound in open play, but weren’t entirely convincing at set pieces, especially in the first half.
A late winner at Dens is always enjoyable, and a win against Aberdeen, who have a good record here, is guaranteed to please the support. It was all the better that this was the last game of the season on a sunny afternoon. The Dark Blues in the stands enjoyed finishing the campaign on such a positive note after all the problems and worries of the first half of the season.
Dundee FC 4-3-3
Kieran O’Hara
Drey Wright, Ryan Astley, Billy Koumetio, Imari Samuels (Luke Graham 87)
Callum Jones, Ethan Hamilton (Joel Cotterill 76), Fin Robertson
Cameron Congreve (Tony Yogane 76), Joe Westley (Simon Murray 76), Charlie Reilly (Joe Bevan 68)
Unused substitutes: Harry Sharp (gk), Clark Robertson, Ash Hay, Brad Halliday.
Goals: Drey Wright (10), Joe Westley (61), Ryan Astley (90).
Booked: none.
Aberdeen 4-3-1-2
Suman
Milne, Morrison, Knoester (Devlin 14), Molloy
Cameron (Bilalovic 68), Kjartansson (Aremu 76), Keskinen (Milanovic 68)
Geiger (Shinnie 68)
Olusanya , Nisbet (c)
Unused subs: Bråtveit (gk), Frame, Lobban, Mercer.
Goals: Morrison (23), Olusanya (45+6).
Booked: none.
Attendance: 8,279.
Referee: Ross Hardie. Assistants: David McGeachie, Kevin Buchanan. VAR: John Beaton. Assistant VAR: Gary Hilland.
Report: James Christie.
