Dundee fought back to take a valuable point in a 2-2 draw against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park this afternoon. It would have been three points if Joe Westley had scored from the penalty spot with almost the last kick of the game. Joe Hugill put Killie ahead with an early goal but Simon Murray equalised 10 minutes later and had another goal chalked off for offside following a VAR review. Michael Schjønning-Larsen then made it 2-1 to give Kilmarnock a deserved lead at half time. In the second half the Dark Blues fought back, without being at their best in difficult windy conditions, and Scott Wright came off the bench to score a late equaliser. Right at the death Dundee were awarded a penalty but, after an eight minute delay for VAR reviews, home keeper Kelle Roos saved Joe Westley’s spot kick.
There were two changes to the Dee starting eleven. Billy Koumetio replaced the suspended Ryan Astley in central defence, and Joel Cotterill came into the midfield for Fin Robertson, who was on the bench.
From the start Kilmarnock were clearly a different team from the one that struggled so badly against Dundee in the Scottish Cup in January. The home side’s movement, passing and pace were far better and gave the Dark Blues problems whenever they got forward.
It was no surprise when Kilmarnock took the lead in the 14th minute. Bruce Anderson was allowed too much space to shoot from the edge of the penalty area. His effort struck a defender and looped into the air for Joe HUGILL to score with a 12 yard volley into the roof of the net.
Dundee couldn’t get into the game and continued to struggle. When they did play their way into promising positions they were let down by some poor crosses. However, the Dark Blues sparked into life with an equaliser of real quality after 24 minutes. Tony Yogane raced past right-back Jamie Brandon and his cross was perfect for Simon MURRAY to score with a firm header from six yards.
The goal was against the run of play, but it gave the Dark Blues a boost and they started to attack with greater confidence and purpose. Three minutes later Murray again had the ball in the net when keeper Kelle Roos spilled a fierce long range shot from Ethan Hamilton. The ball was on the centre spot with Kilmarnock waiting to kick off when the goal was ruled out following a VAR review for offside.
Kilmarnock took heart from the reprieve and finished the half as the stronger team. Nevertheless, it took a spot of defensive carelessness to allow them to regain the lead. Billy Koumetio’s clearance went straight to Michael Schjønning-Larsen and the full-back had time and space to score with a low shot into the corner from the edge of the penalty area.
At half time Brad Halliday was replaced by Imari Samuels with Drey Wright switching to right back. The switch made sense because Halliday had been booked, and the change gave Dundee a better balance.
The second half started with an uncomfortable five minutes as Dundee struggled in defence, through sloppiness rather than Kilmarnock’s attacking. Hugill broke clear on the left but McCracken saved his angled shot and the Dark Blues escaped in the resulting goalmouth scramble. Two minutes later Luke Graham telegraphed a pass for McCracken that Greg Kiltie was already sprinting to cut off. McCracken managed to block and again Dundee scrambled clear. Happily, that was the end of Dundee’s defensive frailties and they settled back into a more composed game.
Just before the hour the Dee made three changes, sending on Joe Westley, Scott Wright, and Ash Hay for Yan Dhanda, Cameron Congreve, and Simon Murray. Westley played on the left, with Wright through the middle behind Hay, and Yogane moving to the right wing.
Dundee improved, but without creating enough in the final third. The crossing was seldom good enough. The home attacks were being handled much better by the Dundee defence, but Kilmarnock’s spirited attacking always looked capable of bringing a third goal that would settle the game.
Charlie Reilly came on for Tony Yogane as Dundee fought hard to get back on level terms. The equaliser came in the 81st minute thanks to a beautifully executed goal. Drey Wright sent an accurate diagonal pass across the pitch. Samuels first touch was perfect and that allowed him to advance into space down the left and he played a beautiful pass through the defence for Scott WRIGHT to slip a low shot past the keeper.
Dundee took heart from the equaliser and had a good spell as they hunted a winner. As the clock ticked over into the four minutes added time Kilmarnock applied pressure without opening up the Dark Blues. In the final minute Dundee broke from a corner and Charlie Reilly was in space on the right to senda cross into the goalmouth. Scott Wright tried to connect with a header, but he was pushed by Jamie Brandon.
Referee Ross Hardie pointed to the penalty spot with 20 seconds of added time remaining. The players and supporters then had to endure a wait of some eight minutes for a VAR check for offside and review of the penalty award. Finally, Joe Westley was able to take the spot-kick but Kelle Roos went the right way and saved.
That was that, and Dundee had to make do with a single point, which was the most they deserved. Kilmarnock were the better side for most of a game in which the Dark Blues were below par for long periods.
A strong wind made conditions difficult and Dundee could rarely play the way they wanted, and were never able to settle into control of the game. What was pleasing was that Dundee were able to dig in and hang on when Kilmarnock were playing well and attacking positively. That hard working determinatin to prevent the game drifting away from the Dee was vital. It very nearly provided a platform for the Dark Blues to stage a smash and grab raid to take all the points at the end.
Centre backs Luke Graham and Billy Koumetio were short of the standard they set together earlier in the season. The nasty wind, and Kilmarnock’s attacking were both a factor in that. However, they both made a crucial contribution in the final 20 minutes when Dundee stepped up enough to take a point that had seemed unlikely earlier.
Rugby Park is almost always a difficult place to come, and a draw today was a good result against a team whose home form has improved significantly since the Dee won there comfortably in the cup in January. The stubborn resilience that earned a precious point today will be needed throughout the five match post-split campaign.
Kilmarnock 4-4-2
Roos
Brandon, Stanger, Deas, Schjønning-Larsen (Thompson 71)
Kiltie (Watson 86), Tshibola (Lyons 86), Lowery, Curtis
Anderson (McKenzie 77), Hugill
Unused subs: Stryjek (gk), Polworth, Magennis, Mayo, Cleșcenco.
Goals: Hugill (14), Schjønning-Larsen (33).
Booked: Deas (foul on Murray), Tshibola (foul on Hamilton), Stanger (foul on Westley), Brandon (foul on Wright).
Dundee FC 4-2-3-1
Jon McCracken
Brad Halliday (Imari Samuels at half time), Billy Koumetio, Luke Graham, Drey Wright
Ethan Hamilton, Joel Cotterill
Cameron Congreve (Scott Wright 59), Yan Dhanda (Joe Westley 59), Tony Yogane (Charlie Reailly 71)
Simon Murray (c) (Ash Hay 59)
Unused substitutes: Kieran O’Hara (gk), Fin Robertson, Lewis Montsma, Callum Jones.
Goals: Murray (24), Wright (81).
Booked: Halliday (foul on Curtis), Hamilton (dissent).
Attendance: 6,435 (651 Dees).
Referee: Ross Hardie. Assistants: Graeme Stewart, Gordon Crawford. VAR: Don Robertson. Assistant VAR: Chris Rae.
Report: James Christie.
