Dundee’s Under 20s secured their second 1-0 away win in a row when they defeated Ross County at the Highland Football Academy in Dingwall.
A second half strike from Dundee substitute Mark Smith was enough to give the Dens youngsters all three points.
Although the Dark Blues applied almost constant pressure they were finding it hard to trouble County keeper Mark Foden.
A series of corners saw Kerr Waddell head just over the bar and Taylor Berry fire in a shot that Foden held. John Black also had a chance but his 25-yard effort was just too high.
County were dangerous on the break, however and Waddell and Ben Priest had to be on their toes to stop the Staggies dangermen. The central defensive pair were winning virtually everything in the air, but surprisingly, County almost took the lead with a header from a free kick.
Tom MacLennan’s free was headed on by Greg Morrison but Dark Blues skipper Kyle Gourlay held the striker’s effort.
Waddell found himself the first of seven bookings when he was forced to bring down Morrison as the home side broke from a Dundee corner.
On the stroke of half time Sean Gallacher came to the visitors’ rescue, hacking away a dangerous cross into the Dundee box.
At the start of the second half Dundee brought on Smith for Black who had been playing well on the right side of midfield. The tall striker went up front with Kyle Clark moving out to the right where he was to prove very effective.
Gourlay had to be alert to bring off a fine save from County’s Morrison when he broke through on goal.
At the other end Clark drove into the County box but shot straight at the keeper.
Bailey Steele replaced Taylor Berry in the Dens ranks and Gallacher and MacLennan found themselves in the ref’s book as the game became more tousy.
However, on 66 minutes the visitors took the lead, Smith rounding off a fine move involving Steele and Jesse Curran by finding the corner of the County net.
Almost immediately, Greg Warwick replaced Sam Dryden for the Dark Blues.
Clark was causing problems for County and his cutback to Curran looked goalbound until it was blocked by a defender.
Smith became the third Dark Blue to be yellow carded and he was followed in the book by the Highlanders’ Darren Moffatt and Russell Dingwall. Calvin Colquhoun rounded off a busy day for the ref with another booking, though it was far from a dirty game.
The home side spurned a great chance to equalise in time added on when Dingwall blasted over from 15 yards.
FT: Ross County 0 Dundee 1
Dundee: Gourlay, Gallacher, Dryden (Warwick 67), Priest, Waddell, Colquhoun, J Black (Smith 46), Curran, Clark, Berry (Steele 53) Gemmell. Sub not used: Gibb.
Report: Jim Davie
