Queen of the South 3
Dundee 1
League (First Division)

Match Report

Dundee suffered their first league defeat of the season at bogey ground Palmerston despite taking the lead through Chris Pozniak's first goal in Dark Blue. Craig Barr levelled for Queens midway through the first half before Stephen Dobbie gave the home side the lead on the stoke of half time. Dobbie grabbed his second to end any hope Dundee had of a point in the second half.

One positive for the afternoon was the competitive debut of defender Craig McKeown. Club Dundee members can see interviews with Craig and manager Alex Rae on DFCTV now.

Eric Paton returning to the home of his team last season was handed a more attacking role than he has been used to on league duty for Dundee. Freddie Daquin made way as Eric started in right midfield, David Cowan coming in to fill the right back position. Other than that it was business as usual for the starting line up with regulars so far in Rab Douglas, Eddie Malone, Gary Mackenzie, Darren Williams making up the back line and Paul McHale, Chris Pozniak and David O'Brien in the midfield. Both Colin McMenamin and Mickael Antoine Curier also started their fourth league games of the season.

While many looked upon this away trip as one that they would take a point in that obviously wasn't in the mind of Alex Rae to begin with as Dundee came out flying. Bossing the game for the first twenty minutes it looked like he'd got his tactics spot on against a tired looking Queens side returning from their European adventure from the off.

It was less than a minute before Dundee had their first shot on goal. Old Queens man Paton seeing his free kick from 30 yards deflected over. Paton looked to be enjoying his more attacking role and got his and Dundee second shot in after only four minutes. Mackenzie's long ball was chested down by Curier into his path but he could only shoot over again.

Dundee kept up the pressure with Paton crossing to Curier but it was just over the head of the striker. His strike partner McMenamin then put a ball into the box but it again was just out of reach for both Curier and David O'Brien coming in at the back post.

The pressure did pay off after 17 minutes as Chris Pozniak opened his Dundee goal scoring account with a fine goal. Gary Mackenzie played another long ball and it was the same move with Curier chesting it on but this time it was right in the path of the incoming Pozniak who brought the ball down before beautifully slotting it into the far corner of the net.

That seemed to fire Queens up a bit and they had their first chance two minutes later but Mackenzie got close enough to block a Sean O'Connor shot then Chris Barr headed over from the resulting corner. Queens were then forced into a change and new signing David Weatherston was thrown on earlier than expected but it was the introduction of the former St. Johnstone that changed the game.

Two minutes after his arrival Queens were level, Jamie McQuilken crossed to the back post where Paul Burns headed it down to Dobbie six yards out and Douglas had to get a strong hand behind it to push it behind. From the corner the ball was cleared but when it was delivered back into the area it fell to defender Craig Barr who side footed the ball past Douglas and into the net.

Queens were on top and a Steve Tosh free kick was headed on by Jim Thomson but Douglas held it well before O'Connor drilled a cross to Dobbie but his shot hit off substitute Weatherston and Dundee cleared. Dobbie did get another chance just before the break and this time he made no mistake.

He is a man who has made a habit of scoring against Dundee and this game was to be no different. Sean O'Connor ran onto a through ball and as Darren Williams tried to block his run the defender slipped and allowed O'Connor to roll the ball across the box to Dobbie who just guided it into the net.

After grabbing a goal just before the half time break Dobbie almost got one just after but his looping shot that seemed to have beaten Douglas ended up landing on the top of the Dundee net. Dundee tried with the long ball forward to Curier again and this time after had chested it down McMenamin shot over.

Williams afternoon could of been alot worse as Steve Tosh caught out the defender in possession but he could only place a shot towards the corner of the goal which Douglas. was more than even too. Four minutes later Williams was replaced coming on in his place debutant Craig McKeown.

Douglas had to be alert to save from close range from Weatherston before McKeown almost got his name on the scoresheet but his header from a McHale corner was over. Eric Paton had Dundee's last chance before Queens effectively ended the match with a third. The former Queens man shot hitting the side netting,

Weatherston took off down the left and after bursting past Cowan his cut back was perfect for the waiting Dobbie to get his second and Queens third. Rae almost immediately changed it Gilhaney and Davidson coming on for McMenamin and Pozniak

The was little else in the way of chances with McHale and Davidson both having wayward shots. Gilhaney was booked for pulling down Queens sub Stewart Kean as he broke away but referee lain Brines brought the game to an end soon after completing the end of another defeat in Dumfries for Dundee.

Match report written by Tommy Young - Dundee Matchday Programme