Dundee finished their Premier Sports Cup campaign for the season with an emphatic 5-0 win over Montrose at Dens Park. Simon Murray scored with an early penalty and made it 2-0 at the start of the second half. Montrose played some neat football and made life uncomfortable for the Dee at times, but their defence could not cope with Dundee’s attacking particlarly from set pieces. Clark Robertson, Ryan Astley and Luke Graham scored in the last 10 minutes, all following set piece deliveries by Imari Samuels.
Steven Pressley again rang the changes with the starting eleven. Jon McCracken, Clark Robertson, Drey Wright, Cesar Garza and Simon Murray were the five players to retain their places after Tuesday’s defeat of Bonnyrigg as the Dark Blues switched to a formation with three at the back.
The gane got off to a lively start with both keepers tested in the opening two minutes. The Dee kicked off and headed straight for the penalty area. Montrose couldn’t clear and keeper Aaron Clark pulled off a good save from Simon Murray. Within a minute Montrose broke away from a Dundee corner and Jon McCracken had to save Keir Bertie’s fierce angled shot.
The Dark Blues were straight back onto the attack. Cesar Garza nipped on to a loose ball in the penalty area and was caught late. Simon MURRAY had no problem scoring from the resulting penalty.
Dundee went on to take control of the game and ought to have added more goals. Luke Graham headed over at a corner and should perhaps have scored. A lovely pass inside the right back by Tony Yogane freed Imari Samuels, but his low cross was inches too far ahead of Murray in front of goal. Emile Acquah managed to wriggle and bulldoze his way through a hesitant defence but Clark blocked the shot.
After that good opening Dundee got sloppy throughout the last 20 minutes of the first half. Too many passes went astray and Montrose were granted too much easy possession and space to attack the Dark Blues. They couldn’t create any real problems for Jon McCracken, however, and their nearest effort was a shot by Blair Lyons which curled wide.
In the final minute of the half Montrose had a narrow escape when Samuels whipped a vicious inswinging corner at pace across the goal, somehow evading everyong and zipping past the far post.
Dundee made two changes at half time. Ryan Astley and Paul Digby came on for Plamen Galabov and Callum Jones. The switch of Astley and Galabov made sense. The Bulgarian defender had been booked and there had been too much space between him on the right of centre defence and Drey Wright at right wing back. That had opened the way for Montrose to exploit the space behind Wright and send crosses into the Dee penalty area. The change improved Dundee’s shape and tightened both the defence and midfield.
Just as in the first half Dundee settled themselves nicely into the second half with a quick goal, within two minutes of the restart. Yogane showed good close control and strength to get away from two Montrose players on the halfway line. He sent Acquah away to run on and shoot. Clark parried, but straight to Simon MURRAY, who was six yards out facing an open goal. 2-0.
Dundee were comfortably in charge again. Ash Hay came on for Emile Acquah on the hour mark. However, midway through the second half the Dee let things slip again for a few minutes. Montrose put in some good attacks with two particularly dangerous crosses that could easily have produced a goal if the ball had broken for the visitors.
Dundee responded with the best move of the match. Beautiful combination play between Murray, Yogane and Hay ended with Hay’s shot being tipped round the post by Clark.
That was the last significant contribution from Murray. He went down injured and required treatment, a deeply worrying sight for all Dees. He soldiered on but was soon replaced. Ethan Ingram came on to play at right back with Wright moving into midfield and Fin Robertson playing as a striker alongside Hay – a series of changes that highlighted the lack of depth in the midfield and attack. Robertson almost scored with a neat run and good curling final shot that brought a fine save from Clark.
With 10 minutes to go it was possible to imagine a scary finish if Montrose managed to score. However, Dundee put the game to bed with three late goals, one apiece from the three central defenders, and all from set pieces by Samuels.
The first was a free kick on the right in the 81st minute. It was hardly one of Samuels’ better deliveries but Montrose couldn’t clear. Garza pushed the ball back into the goalmouth and Clark ROBERTSON scored from close range.
Four minutes later Samuels took another free kick from the same place. This time he curled his cross to the far post where Graham headed back for Ryan ASTLEY to score with a header from a yard out.
Three more minutes and it was five. Samuels whipped a corner on the right to the far post where Luke GRAHAM applied the scruffiest possible touch to score. It might not have been the classiest finish, but they all count and he surely enjoyed his first goal for the Dark Blues.
After the problems and disappointments of the first two cup games this was something of a relief. As a one off cup game it would have been perfectly satisfactory, but the slack periods in both halves will probably prey on the minds of supporters who haven’t forgotten the defeats against Airdrie and Alloa.
This was an odd game in many respects. On the ball Montrose looked a much better side than is suggested by the 5-0 scoreline. However, Jon McCracken didn’t have a difficult save to make. Dundee always looked like scoring when they attacked, and Montrose’s defence had difficulty keeping them out even before the late collapse. The Dark Blues had 11 shots on target, and although Aaron Clark may have been at fault with the second goal he made up for that with some fine saves to keep the score down.
There were certainly encouraging flashes of creativity today. Emile Acquah and Simon Murray combined well and Tony Yogane was effective in his free role behind the strikers. Cesar Garza also had a sound game in central midfield, and Imari Samuels looked comfortable in his wing back role. His contribution from set pieces is noteworthy. His deliveries have led to five goals in 95 minutes of football.
Despite the good signs there were negatives too. A Premiership team would have punished Dundee’s casualness and erratic shape in the first half. Dundee are still a work in progress. Next week there will be a much tougher challenge when Hibs come to Dens.
Dundee FC 3-4-1-2
Jon McCracken
Plamen Galabov (Ryan Astley at half time), Clark Robertson, Luke Graham
Drey Wright, Callum Jones (Paul Digby at half time), Cesar Garza, Imari Samuels
Tony Yogane (Finlay Robertson 71)
Simon Murray (c) (Ethan Ingram 76), Emile Acquah (Ash Hay 60)
Unused substitutes: Harry Sharp (gk), Billy Koumetio, Aaron Donnelly, PVictor Lopez.
Goals: Murray (3 pen, 47), Clark Robertson (81), Astley (85), Graham (88).
Booked: Galabov (foul on Lyons).
Montrose 4-1-4-1
Aaron Clark
Freeman (Loudon 71), Smith (Steeves 58), Quinn, Bertie
Clark (Webster 58)
Machado (Machado 58, Craig, Masson (Bradford 76), Lyons
Wighton
Unused subs: Millar (gk), Emslie, Leddie.
Booked: Lyons (foul on Graham), Smith (foul on Acquah), Freeman (foul on Samuels), Clark (foul on Yogane), Craig (foul on Yogane).
Attendance: 1,808.
Referee: Duncan Nicolson. Assistants: Graham McNeillie. Assistants: Liam Duncan.
Report: James Christie.
