Match Report - By Steven Mew

City played host to Dundee yesterday in what was another must-win game for the home side while Dundee were languishing in mid-table. It has been a miserable season for both sides, with City rock bottom of the table and Dundee not fulfilling their target of returning to the SPL at the first time of asking. Despite sitting in 6th place, Dundee have only lost 4 times this season, but far too many draws have dented their promotion hopes.

In the last match between the two sides Dundee had to rely on a dubious penalty decision to seal all three points. In a game that Brechin dominated for large spells, Dundee were given a very soft penalty mid-way through the second half which was converted by Simon Lynch. In the match played at Glebe Park back in October, Dundee ran out 3-1 winners.

Like the last match at Glebe Park between the two sides, Alan Kernaghan opted to give one of his young starlets their first run out in the first team with Bryan Deasley starting off upfront for the Dens Park side. Dundee star Kevin McDonald also made his debut for Dundee back in October at Glebe Park and this time he started with Heart’s scouts in the main stand watching him closely.

City started off the brighter of the two sides and came close with 13 minutes on the clock. Steven Hampshire made a clever run down the left hand side before supplying a pass for Gerry Britton, whose snapshot just curled past Scott Murray’s left hand post.

However, Dundee opened the scoring with 19 minutes played. In a goalmouth scramble, Gary Brady saw his powerful shot blocked by the Brechin defence, but the ball kindly fell to Kevin McDonald who rammed the ball home with Craig Nelson unable to see the shot with many bodies in front of him.

City heads didn’t go down though and came close to getting an equaliser just several minutes later. Gerry Britton supplied a clever ball through for Hampshire but young keeper Scott Murray made a superb save to deny the striker.

Dundee’s youthful exuberance was constantly stretching the Brechin defence and on the half hour mark Alex Burns was outpaced by a Dundee striker and although ‘Toastie’ made a great saving tackle, Scott Robertson came close with a shot from outside the box after being set up by Bryan Deasley. A couple of minutes later, recent signing Danny Grainger had a go for goal from 30 yards but his curling effort was always swerving away from the goal.

As half time approached, Brechin started putting the Dundee rearguard under some pressure. Charlie King had his effort saved by Scott Murray before Steven Hampshire’s effort just dipped over the crossbar.

The referee blew for half time with Brechin on top and Dundee were perhaps fortunate to be ahead.

Just a minute into the second half, Simon Lynch shot wide of the goal after some good work by Kevin McDonald.

Dundee doubled their lead after 53 minutes with a simply breathtaking effort. Paul Dixon strode into the City half and from 30 yards the left back struck a superb swerving shot which hit the underside of the bar before rebounding off Craig Nelson’s back and into the net.

Dundee put the game beyond doubt with a third goal ten minutes later when they were awarded a penalty after Craig Nelson has taken Simon Lynch down in the box. With no card shown to Nelson, Lynch got up to take the spot kick and confidently dispatched the ball into the corner of the net, and although Nelson guessed correctly, the power of the shot beat him.

Paul Dixon then curled a free kick just wide of the post before Bryan Deasley sent two headers wide of the target, one of which with Craig Nelson in no-mans land.

With five minutes left on the clock City came extremely close to a consolation goal when Darren Smith’s spinning shot slipped through the grasp of Scott Murray and hit the upright, before going out for a corner kick.

Overall, a lethargic City performance against a youthful Dundee side. Both sides created a similar amount of chances but Dundee’s clinical finishing was the difference between the sides.

City now travel to Perth to take on St Johnstone, who were 2-0 winners over Stranraer at the week-end.

Other Results - Bell's League Division 1

Airdrie United 1 Clyde 1

Airdrie and Clyde share the spoils.

Hamilton Academical 0 St Mirren 0

Bore-fest at New Douglas Park as Hamilton and St Mirren settle for a draw.

Ross County 3 Queen of the South 1

Comfortable home victory for County against struggling Queens.

Stranraer 0 St Johnstone 2

Saints pick up another vital away victory.