Livingston 1
Dundee 0
League (Premier League)

Match Report

Jim Duffy described the goal that downed Dundee at Almondvale as "embarrassing" after the Dark Blues had stumbled to another defeat. A spirited fight back late in the match, inspired by the introduction of Fabian Caballero, was too little too late after an hour during which Duffy's men had dominated possession, but done little to inspire a good sized travelling support. Those fans did their best to lift the team but got little response from the majority of those given the task of lifting Dundee up the table, the notable exception being captain Barry Smith who turned in a great shift.

The manager made changes to the starting eleven with Brent Sancho and John Sutton replacing Stephen McNally and Alex Cerdeira, but his plans were disrupted after just seven minutes when lain Anderson went off injured. McNally replaced him. taking up a role on the right of midfield.

By then Roddy McKenzie had made his first save of the afternoon palming away Bobby Mann's second minute header.

Midway through the half Dundee carved out two great chances. On 21 minutes. Sutton managed to set Lovell free, but as he strode towards goal the striker stumbled and the chance had gone. Less than a minute later, Steven Robb raced down the left and fired in a great cross, but Sutton couldn't keep his header down when a goal seemed certain.

They were made to pay for those misses just moments later as Dair dispossessed Robb launched and a hopeful ball to the halfway line. Sancho charged in to challenge for the flick on with Hamilton, but from his starting position had no real chance of winning the contest, and the former Dee's flick found 20 year old James McPake who had got goalside of Bobby Mann, and despite the defender's attempt to pull McPake's shirt, the youngster coasted clear and waited for Soutar to advance before sliding the ball home.

Livi' could have been two up right on the break as Easton crossed for Hamilton, but Soutar did well to deny the striker at the end of a half which had seen the home side get their tactics for the most part 100% correct, they defended deep to prevent Lovell using his pace, crowded out the danger of Robb and hit on the break when they had the opportunity.

Dundee made a slight switch at the start of the second period with Macdonald and McNally switching on the right of defence and midfield, it needed much more drastic action to turn the game though with Dundee struggling to impose any threat despite Livi being happy to allow the Dark Blues a lot of possession. Lilley came close on fifty one minutes as he found time to pick his spot from the edge of the box only to blaze his shot wide, and just before the hour came a great chance for Dundee. Robb set Lovell away down the left and his low cross seemed certain to be netted by Sutton, but although he hit the target, it was with no real pace and McKenzie was glad to be given the relatively simple task of saving. With quarter of an hour to go the change that was needed happened as Fabian Caballero was introduced to the action, instantly Dundee went up a gear and the substitute was only feet away from a dream start as he raced in to try to pick up a fumble from McKenzie, the keeper recovering just in time.

Caballero was winning a succession of free kicks as the home side decided that he must be stopped, by fair means or foul, and Dundee began to really pile on the pressure..

Alex Cerdeira arrived on the scene as they tried to make the pressure count but Oscar Rubio was in superb form at the centre of the home defence and despite a weak penalty shout when Steven Robb tumbled in the box the 'Lions' hung on to give Richard Gough and Archie Knox a winning start.

Match report written by Dundee Matchday Programme