Ross County 1
Dundee 2
League (First Division)

Match Report

Dundee got their league campaign off to a great start with a hard fought 2-1 win at Ross County, Mickael Antoine-Curier opened the scoring towards the end of the first half from the penalty spot and Eric Paton headed home a comer early in the second period. There were a nervous few moments late on after former Dee Dyron Daal snatched a late counter for the home side.

Alex Rae had plenty of praise for the guys who came in to fill the gaps "Fantastic result, considering we had so many injuries I thought the guys who came in, trialists were great."

Rab Douglas was the match sponsor's man of the match and he was happy with his first competitive outing since returning to Dens "I had a great time here before and hopefully we can go on again This is a great start, there's obviously a long way to go but to win your first game of the season is brilliant."

Goals from Mickael Antoine-Curier and Eric Paton got Dundee off to a great start for the 2008/2009 season. The clubs first ever win in Dingwall meant that the season started with three points.

An injury crisis was all the talk as Dundee made their way north. Gary Mackenzie, Jim Lauchlan, Derek Young, Craig McKeown were joined by Colin Cameron on the injury list and had to rely on two trialists coming straight into the starting eleven.

Former Sunderland defender Darren Williams lined up next to David Cowan in central defence with Eddie Malone and Eric Paton completing the defence infront of Rab Douglas who started his first game since officially re-signing for Dundee. Canadian international Chris Pozniak was the second of the trialists and joined Paul McHale in central midfield. Freddie Daquin and Mark Gilhaney lined up on the wings and Curier and Colin McMenamin started upfront.

Dundee were sporting their white away kit and after a slow start they had the first proper attack after ten minutes. Curier got in behind wide on the right and when his cut back was missed by McMenamin the ball ran into the path of trialist Pozniak coming in but County defender Andy Dowie got a good tackle in just before the ball found it's way to him.

County tested Rab Douglas for the first time when Richard Hart drove a low free kick at goal but Rab was down well to hold with little difficulty. Paul McHale picked up a booking for persistent fouling then County kept up the pressure and tested Douglas.

This time a corner was cleared only as far as Hart who again hit a low shot at goal this time however David Winters managed to change the direction of the ball making Douglas save all the much better. Richard Brittain tested Rab again with a shot from distance that had him diving to hold onto it but two minutes later Dundee had the lead.

Curier skipped past two defenders to get in a great position in the box before a clumsy Andy Dowie challenge saw the big man over and the referee pointing to the spot. Curier dusted himself off to slot home the penalty and didn't hide his delight at grabbing his first goal of the season.

County almost were on level terms straight away. Adam Strachan cut in from the left and curled a shot onto the bar. The first half finished as quietly as it had started though only one more chance coming when Higgins found the head of Dowie from a free kick but the central defender could only head over.

After the break Dundee set about putting the game to bed and when McMenamin played the ball beyond the defence Curier and Stuart Golabek were launched into a foot race towards the box. The Dundee man had looked to of gotten the better of it but just before he pulled the trigger the County man put in a great sliding challenge to come away with the ball.

The disappointment of missing that chance was short lived however and only thirty seconds later when Gilhaney had won a corner Dundee did double the lead. Paul McHale floated a great ball across that seemed to be waiting for the incoming Eric Paton to head home his first Dundee goal.

Douglas was called into action again soon after as County looked to get back into the match. Golabek and Brittain. combined in the box before playing in Scott Boyd who fired a shot at goal from six yards that again saw the best brought out of Rab who turned his shot away.

The game could have well and truly been over when Pozniak cleverly stepped over a Paton ball up the line and McMenamin turned the ball past Bullock but it rolled agonisingly wide of the far post.

Dowie headed over again from a Brittain cross as County put pressure on to try and get back into the game. David O'Brien replaced Mark Gilhaney and Eddie Malone was booked before County thought they should of had a penalty. David Cowan blocked Steven Craig on his way to goal but the referee gave the decision Dundee's way.

County did pull one back deep intoninjury time and it was former Dee Dyron Daal who got it. Martin Scott played the ball to the back post where Daal poked it past Douglas.

As the heavens opened referee Mike Tumilty blew the full time whistle that sent the tremendous away support wild and gave them something to smile about on the long journey home.

Match report written by Tommy Young - Dundee Matchday Programme