Dundee 2
Queen of the South 1
League (First Division)

Match Report

Dundee built on their win at Gretna with a gritty display to beat Queen of the South at Dens and in the process win two league games on the bounce for the first time since January. Then the two sides eventually relegated from the First Division, Brechin City and Stranraer were beaten and the starting line up from that win over the ferry port side illustrates how much Dundee's personnel have changed since the start of the year. Only four players, Bobby Mann, Paul Dixon, Kevin McDonald and Scott Robertson from that match starting against the Doonhammers.

Here an unchanged Dundee started in a mood which early on looked likely to repeat the rout seen at Raydale the previous weekend and only a great save from Barry John Corr denied Derek Lyle a perfect start against his former club, the keeper diving at full stretch to his left to prevent Lyle's, third minute, goal-bound effort finding the target. As often happens though that save was in vain as from the resultant corner Dundee were ahead, Bobby Mann rising unopposed to head powerfully home from ten yards.

It was the perfect start and Dundee looked likely to add to that opener every time they burst forward in the early stages. Gavin Swankie was just off target with a 25 yard free kick just a minute after the goal, and Dundee came even closer in 10 minutes.

Again it came from a corner, this time forced when Greg Strong fired in a rising shot from a Swankie cross, which Corr tipped over, the corner again saw Bobby Mann rise to head goalwards, this time from a tight angle, only for Paul Burns to clear his effort from right on the goal-line Lyle looked desperate to impress against his old team-mates and two minutes later he got on the end of a McLaren cross after the veteran had combined with Danny Griffin, but his header from a good position was off target.

Dundee were to suffer from those misses midway through the half as Queens equalised right out of the blue, Burns went on a fine surge from his own half but made a mess of his cross from the right, the ball was in Ludovic Roy's hands as the visitors' Scott Robertson was challenged by his namesake, it looked innocuous but Queens Robertson crumpled and referee Chris Boyle marked his first ever match at Dens by pointing to the penalty spot. Jon O'Neil stepped up to take the spot kick and coolly sent Roy the wrong way to equalise.

To this point the visitors had barely crossed the half way line but, as Dundee's confidence evaporated, lan McCall's men began to come into the game.

In 33 minutes they squandered a fine chance to snatch the lead, Burns getting down the right and firing in a good cross, Andy Thomson rose to meet it but directed his header straight at Roy.

Three minutes later Dundee again came close, Andy McLaren waltzing down the rght and curling in a cross, Kevin McDonald couldn't get a clean contact on his header but the ball broke to Swankie who volleyed narrowly wide of the target.

Dundee had labouring a fair bit since being pegged back though, and such attacks were by no means as regular as they had been in the early stages. They almost went back in front two minutes before the break as Danny Griffin fired in a screamer from fully thirty five yards which whistled inches over

If the Dark Blues had enjoyed a perfect start to the match it had all gone a bit wrong by half time and it needed a repeat of that early pressure to lift spirits and get the football flowing again - That's exactly what they got thanks to a daft moment from visiting defender Jim Thomson, he lunged into a 47th minute challenge on Gavin Swankie as the forward crossed from the left and Mr. Boyle appeared happy to even up the spot kick score.

Now was the perfect opportunity for Lyle to hit the net against his old club, but the referee made it as nervy as possible for the hit-man. In the process of upending Swankie Thomson had dug a huge divot out of the turf on the left of the penalty area, and before allowing the penalty to be taken the whistler wandered across to the home dug out to insist that repairs were made to the surface. By the time he'd returned Swankie had made a bid for a job on Gardeners World', doing a quick repair to the damaged area, and after a further delay as Corr tried a bit of gamesmanship Lyle was allowed to proceed with the day's business.

If he'd been affected by the delay and the sledging of his former team-mates then it didn't show as he stepped up and rapped the penalty into the net to restore the lead for the Dark Blues.

Five minutes later only a fantastic save from Corr prevented Dundee going further ahead, Dixon clipping in a right foot cross which was met by a great header from Andy McLaren, his effort seemed certain to find the net until the keeper dived to his right to claw it away.

Queens had to push forward but they struggled to put Roy under much pressure, McCaffrey firing in a powerful effort from distance which was always rising in 58 minutes being as close as they cane, and although Dundee hadn't regained their early fluency the Dee were enjoying better possession.

Swankie had been in tremendous form on the left of the attack and he came close to getting the goal his efforts deserved in 69 minutes with another free kick just wide.

Then McLaren tried his luck with another header, this time from a Griffin cross, but he narrowly missed the target.

The three forward players had run themselves into the ground and over the final minutes they were gradually replaced, with each going off to an ovation from the Dens public none more so than, the all action, Swankie as he shook hand's with substitute Ross Harris just a couple of minutes from time.

With just a one goal lead there were always likely to be nervy moments but in fact the only moment that had the home fans really sweating was in 93 minutes as Scott Robertson challenged Paul Burns. on the edge of the box, a moment which left the visiting player on the deck - Mr. Boyle though had obviously had his fill of spot kicks for the day and waved play on, much to the midfielder's relief.

While this victory hadn't been achieved with the ease of the win at Gretna (it might have had it not been for Corr and that goal-line clearance from Burns at 1-0) it had shown that Dundee could battle and graft for the points when things weren't going their way.

Match report written by Dundee Matchday Programme