Dundee reached the Premier Sports Cup quarter finals with an emphatic 6-1 win over Airdrieonoans at the Scot Foam Stadium. Six different scorers were on the mark for the deadly Dark Blues. Seb Palmer-Houlden and Jordan McGhee made it 2-0 at half time. Airdrie gave the Dee a hard time at the start of the second half before the Dark Blues put them firmly in their place with further goals from Scott Tiffoney, Antonio Portales, Curtis Main and Lyall Cameron. The Diamonds played some nice football, but the Dark Blues were far too strong, and ruthless in attack, and the Championship side simply couldn’t live with them. Airdrie defender Dylan MacDonald was red carded midway through the second half, and Adam Frizzell scored a consolation goal when the Dee were four goals ahead, but Dundee’s win was already settled by then.
The only change to the Dee’s starting line-up following last week’s win over Hearts was in goal. Trevor Carson replaced Jon McCracken, who was on the bench.
It took the Dark Blues less than two minutes to register their first serious attempt on goal. Simon Murray bulleted a header narrowly wide from Luke McCowan’s cross. McCowan went close shortly afterwards with a shot from 22 yards after he won the ball high up the park.
Airdrie ensured the game was always entertaining by continually trying to play from the back against Dundee’s high press. It often backfired on the Diamonds who struggled to contain Dundee after a series of turnovers.
When Airdrie did get it right they attacked with quick, neatly built moves. One brought a corner brought a chance for Mason Hancock whose header was well saved by Trevor Carson.
Dundee took the lead after 12 minutes when the Diamonds got into a mess defending Luke McCowan’s corner. The defence hesitated. Scott Tiffoney shielded the ball from keeper Kieran Wright and Seb PALMER-HOULDEN helped himself to his fifth goal of the season from close range.
The Dee continually threatened to add to their lead. Palmer-Houlden fired over from 12 yards after a clever reverse pass by Murray. Murray then ran clear on to a long pass but Wright saved well.
A fast Dee break ended with Tiffoney and Lyall Cameron trying to set up the perfect chance and the relieved Diamonds defenders were able to scramble clear.
Dundee twice went close from corners. The first, a clever short corner from Cameron to Tiffoney, gave the winger the opportunity to execute a skillful run along the byline but his low ball into the goalmouth was cleared for another corner. This one gave Tiffoney a close range chance, but Wright pulled off a fine reflex save to turn the header over the bar.
The Dark Blues kept up the pressure and finally broke through five minutes before half time. Jordan MCGHEE scored with a powerful header from Cameron’s corner to become the Dee’s 10th scorer in competitive matches this season.
The Diamonds sent on three substitutes for the start of the second half time and gave the Dark Blues an uncomfortable 10 minutes with some neat football and clever attacking. Chris Mochrie’s deflected shot following a corner looped over Carson and came back off the bar. Terrell Agyemang showed some good skill in an attack that opened up Dundee, but Airdrie were over elaborate and the Dee escaped.
Eight minutes after the restart Dundee had to make a change when Seb Palmer-Houlden left the pitch with a slight injury. Fin Robertson came on to play on the left wing with Tiffoney switching to the right.
For all Airdrie’s good play they lacked a cutting edge. In contrast Dundee were deadly in attack and made the Diamonds pay for their inability to finish off moves.
On the hour mark McCowan flighted a long pass over the Airdrie defence for Scott TIFFONEY to run clear and crash his shot past Wright to kill off any hope of a fightback. It was against the run of play, but it was exactly the sort of goal that Dundee always threaten to score with their fact and creative attackers.
Dundee almost repeated the same move two minutes later when Murray was freed, but he was pulled down a yard outside the penalty area by Dylan MacDonald, who collected an inevitable red card. McCowan flashed the resulting free kick against the post.
Curtis Main replaced Simon Murray after 70 minutes and almost immediately scored number four. Tiffoney’s shot broke into his path, but Wright pulled off a superb save.
The fourth goal was delayed by only a minute. Cameron’s corner was met by Antonio PORTALES whose header flew inside the far post.
Disappointingly Dundee immediatately let their concentration slip for a moment and Adam FRIZZELL showed great persistence to force his way through the heart of the Dee defence and score from 15 yards.
Ryan Astley came on for Mo Sylla to play in central defence with Jordan McGhee moving into the holding midfield role but the Dark Blues’ dominance didn’t slip for a moment after the Diamonds’ consolation goal.
The later stages were easy for the Dee who kept probing and pushing for more goals. After 86 minutes Curtis MAIN scored the fifth with a clever close range flick at the near post from McCowan’s low cross from the left wing.
In injury time Dundee made it six. McCowan’s cross beyond the far post was met with Robertson’s volley. Wright saved, but Lyall CAMERON headed into the roof of the net from almost on the goal line.
This could have been a very difficult and dangerous cup tie against good opponents from the Championship. Airdrie play attractive football and showed their ability in those difficult opening minutes of the second half. Ultimately the Dark Blues had far too much quality and overwhelmed the Diamonds in the second half that was completely one side after the third goal.
The Dark Blues put in a solid team performance but they were at their best when they came forward and created danger not just from the attackers and midfielders, but from the full backs in open play and central defenders at set pieces.
Today’s win makes a total of 29 goals scored in only seven competitive games this season, an outstanding average of just over four goals per game. Other Premiership clubs have had a tough time in the Premier Sports Cup this season, but the Dark Blues couldn’t have reached the quarter finals more impressively.
Dundee FC 4-3-3
Carson (c)
Ingram, Portales, McGhee, Larkeche
Cameron, Sylla (Astley 73), McCowan
Palmer-Houlden (Fin Robertson 53), Murray (Main 70), Tiffoney
Unused substitutes: McCracken (gk), Sharp (gk), Graham, Lochhead.
Goals: Palmer-Houlden (12), McGhee (40), Tiffoney (60), Portales (74), Main (86), Cameron (90+1).
Booked: Portales (foul on Frizzell), Ingram (foul on Cooper).
Airdrieonians 4-2-3-1
Wright
MacDonald, McCabe (Armstrong at half time), Hancock, Bruce
McMaster (Mochrie at half time), Gallagher
Agyemang (Cooper 70), Aiken (McGrattan at half time), Frizzell (c)
Wilson (Reed 70)
Unused subs: Johnson (gk), Watson, Taylor-Sinclair.
Goal: Frizzell (76).
Booked: none.
Sent off: MacDonald (denying goalscoring opportunity).
Referee: Euan Anderson. Assistants: David Roome, Graham McNeillie.
Attendance: 3,327.
Report: James Christie.
