After Calvin Colquhoun’s great goal against Hearts recently, it didn’t take long for Station Park to witness yet another fantastic strike for the young Dark Blues, this time by Josh Skelly against Rangers and it was enough to win the game for the Dark Blues.
This was a replay of the game abandoned back in December when the wind proved too strong for the players at Gayfield. On that occasion Rangers led 1-0 at half time but faced the prospect of playing into a gale force wind in the second half.
Things were much quieter at a sunny Station Park this time around and it was good to see Dens legend Barry Smith in the crowd to watch an entertaining game.
Dundee were missing Craig Wighton and Andy Black who were required for first team duty and manager Eddie Johnson elected to go with a back three of Ben Priest, Matty Allan and Kerr Waddell, with Greg Warwick and Liam Gibb as wing backs.
The Dark Blues were first to threaten when Lee Cameron raced on to a great through ball from Allan. His rising shot looked goalbound all the way until Rangers keeper Robbie McRorie got a hand to it to turn it over the bar.
The visitors suffered an early blow when Craig Halkett had to be stretchered off following a leg injury.
The visitors took a grip on the game at this stage and, from a Fraser Aird cross, Calum Gallagher headed just wide.
Calum Brodie then had to bring off a good save to prevent Gallagher scoring. Brodie was denied the credit for another fine save when he tipped behind a Darren Ramsay shot only to see the referee award a goal kick.
Aird showed great pace to get away from Gibb, but Priest cleared the danger.
Rangers almost broke the deadlock on 38 minutes when Aird’s fierce drive just cleared Brodie’s bar.
Brodie was in action again at the start of the second period, saving well from Danny Stoney.
Eight minutes into the second period Calvin Colquhoun brought out a good save from McRorie with a free kick 25 yards out, but the opening goal was only delayed by a couple of minutes.
John Black skipped down the right wing before releasing the ball to Skelly and the striker cut inside and unleashed an unstoppable left foot shot high past McRorie and into the far corner. What a goal!
Rangers responded almost immediately with a shot from Scott Roberts that grazed Brodie’s bar.
Calum McHardy had come on for Waddell as Dundee reverted to a flat back four and he picked out John Black with a beautiful pass but the midfielder was dispossessed as he tried to bring the ball under control.
Roberts was causing problems for Dundee down the right and he teed up Ramsay whose shot was blocked at point blank range by Brodie.
Max Avolio then came on for Black.
Gallagher wriggled his way into the box but was blocked by Allan and at the other end a Priest effort was helped on by Skelly but was cleared away from danger. Skelly then did well to hold off two defenders but his shot went wide.
The Light Blues tried hard to get back on level terms but they found Brodie in unbeatable form, saving netbound efforts from Ramsay and Josh Jeffries.
FT: Dundee 1 Rangers 0
Dundee: Brodie, Warwick, Gibb, Waddell (McHardy 54), Allan, Priest, J Black (Avolio 69), Colquhoun, Skelly, Lamond (Sivewright 88), Cameron. Subs not used: D Davidson, C Black, Gallacher.
Rangers: Robbie McRorie, Roberts, Mills, Halkett (Pascaizo 15), Whiteside (Jeffries 65), Ross McRorie, Aird, Dykes, Stoney, Ramsay, Gallagher. Subs not used: Gibson, Ashmore, White, Lyon, McMinn.
Report: Jim Davie
