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'Well Off The Mark With Win at Dens

Last updated : 21 August 2004 By Firparkcorner

Burns and Fagan were left on the bench as McBride and McDonald were given starting places.

Clarkie Misses!
We dominated the first half and with any luck could have been a few in front by the break. The bulk of the play was in the Dundee half and we looked like the likely team to open the scoring. The first should have come inside the first ten minutes when Clarkson was cut down inside the box by Mann. The youngster took on the responsibility. The keeper went to his right and the ball went left, and passed the post on the wrong side. Our first penalty of the season was off target. (bring back Adams?)

There was no adverse reaction to the missed opportunity. McDonald had a run across the eighteen yard line followed by a shot on target then O’Donnell had an attempt and the rebound came back against him and ran wide. Clarkson had a chance to make amends in twenty minutes but poor control (and shaken confidence?) let him down.

Thankfully the goal did come though when McDonald ran onto Clarkson's pass and fired home. A deserved lead!

Dundee were rarely seen as an attacking force. They chased a few long punts and caused some problems from a couple of corners but the interval was reached with us comfortably in the lead.

Manager Duffy swapped McNally for Robb at the start of the second session but the pattern of the game was unchanged. Within a minute a Paterson cross to McDonald at the near post almost lead to an own goal. Five minutes later Clarkson had the away fans on their feet as he ran set off on a thirty yard run into the heart of the Dundee defence. Paterson was the recipient of the cut back and his deflected shot resulted in a corner.

Marshall was called into action to pull off a one on one save but the home side were rarely seen in our box.

McDonald got the second after an O’Donnell back heel fed him a clear chance just after the hour. Our men were lining up for chances and some of the home fans started looking for the exits.

It looked as though the game was but Lovell popped up with ten minutes remaining to fire home a stunning effort from over twenty yards. Defensive substitutions were now in order and Fitzpatrick and Fagan replaced Paterson and McDonald.


Corrigan saved any late blushes by clearing off the line in ninety minutes and the Dundee fightback was ended.