Dundee 3
Dumbarton 2
League Cup (Group 2)

Match Report

Newspaper extract from The Courier.

After the "lift" of that battling 3-3 draw at Pittodrie on Saturday it was a different ball game for Dundee at Dens Park last night.

This wasn't all-star Premier League opponents on their own ground but a part-time First Division outfit at home. And it took a lot of hard work and a fair bit of worry before two points went in the bag-if only just.

Dundee were undoubtedly the better team, but a mixture of defensive wobbles, missed chances and two penalties given away made the score much closer than it should have been.

Key man for the dark blues was lan Ferguson. In his 80 minutes on the park he scored two goals and spearheaded attack after attack.

These attacks were well prompted by skipper Cammy Fraser and winger Peter Mackie, not as incisive as on Saturday but again stretching the opposition defence.

Eric Sinclair, stretchered off in the first half, had to have five stitches put in a gash in his shin.

McKimmie missed a sitter in the first minute. Mackie streaked away on the right and got in a cross which found the right-back in the inside-left position ten yards out.

McKimmie snatched at his shot and the ball went over the bar. The linesman's flag was up, presumably for offside, but the ref gave a goal kick to what should have been a goal and would have counted.

Ten minutes later though, all was forgiven. Right-back Brown got his feet in a fankle just inside the Dumbarton half. Ferguson was on to the ball in a flash to run a full 40 yards before cracking it home off Carson's left-hand post.

And Ferguson might have had a second in 15 minutes. A tremendous shot from the youngster was pushed into the air by Carson and cleared luckily by the panic-stricken Dumbarton defence.

In 20 minutes tragedy for Eric Sinclair. He collapsed in agony when tackled and as soon as physio Eric Ferguson got to him he signalled for a stretcher. Gerry Davidson came on in his place.

In 37 minutes the referee made himself really unpopular. Craig went down after a Stephen tackle and the Dundee player was booked.

Immediately afterwards Ferguson, who had objected strongly to the Stephen booking, downed McGowan and earned himself a long talking-to by the ref.

And it didn't end there. McGrogan appeared to punch Glennie and had his name taken. It was a stupid interlude all round, but it did have the crowd buzzing. Sadly not because of the quality of the football.

A sensational start to the second half with two early goals. Glennie was judged to have fouled McGrogan inside the box in 46 minutes and Donnelly calmly stroked the penalty past Alan Blair's right hand.

But it was a short lived celebration for Dumbarton. Almost by return Dundee restored their lead through Mackie.

McGeachie headed forward to Stephen, whose pass found Fer guson. As his shot rebounded from the keeper Mackie was on to the ball fast to flick it into the net.

It was Ferguson again who brought cheers from the Dens faithfuls. Fraser split the visitors defence before delivering a perfect pass and Ferguson, obviously seeing the keeper was off his line, chipped the ball perfectly into the net. Time 67 minutes.

It was almost all one way now with Ferguson hitting the side net with a header then flashing a Mackie corner past.

With 10 minutes to go, goal hero Ferguson, pointing to a thigh, and limping slightly came off for Ian Fleming. It seemed all over but it wasn't-with 8 minutes to go-sensation!

McDonald tackled Craig inside the box and again the referee gave a penalty. Again Donnelly slipped the ball past Alan Blair.

Close was booked in 87 minutes for time wasting. Right on the whistle Davidson hit a tremendous shot which ricocheted off the keeper's legs.