Kilmarnock 1
Dundee 2
League (Premier League)

Match Report

Dundee notched their second away win of the season with a deserved 2-1 win at Kilmarnock. Dundee were the better side throughout, playing a calm and patient game that an erratic and nervous Killie team couldn't deal with.

Gary Harkins was clearly determined to make an impression and scored two fine goals; the first on six minutes and the second only three minutes after Kris Boyd had grabbed an equaliser that had looked beyond Kilmarnock.

The Dundee line-up was a surprise. It wasn't that there were three changes from last week's disappointing defeat against Motherwell, but it was hard to predict how the newcomers, Lockwood, Gallagher and McBride would be deployed instead of Grassi, Riley and Conroy.

The changes worked beautifully, however, giving Dundee good balance and cover. Benedictus and Gallagher were the marking central defenders, with Lockwood sweeping. Toshney and Easton played as wing backs with licence to get forward. Central midfield was covered by McBride, Davidson and McAlister.

Killie started well and had the fist chance but Simonsen saved as Boyd tried to force the ball home at the back post from a corner.

Kilmarnock looked vulnerable through the centre throughout the match and Sissoko's hesitation dealing with a simple through ball was a sign of things to come. Killie got away with it that time, but the Dee took the lead after six minutes when they opened up the home defence with impressive ease.

Harkins dummied Lockwood's pass to let Baird run clear through the left channel. He cut the ball back and HARKINS calmly sidefooted home from 12 yards.

It could have been two a few minutes later when Sissoko lost the ball to Harkins in the penalty area. The defender panicked and tripped Harkins, but remarkably the referee, Mr Brines, waved play on.

That might have been an even more controversial decision if Boyd had scored a simple chance shortly afterwards. Perez lifted a lovely ball over the top of the Dundee defence for Boyd to run on and shoot well wide; a terrible miss for a striker of Boyd's credentials.

The miss proved even more significant as it gradually became clear that the vision and invention that created the chance was a one off. Kilmarnock had plenty of possession, but did nothing with it to trouble the Dundee defence. Poor passing, poor decisions and too many long balls to Kris Boyd let them down. Boyd is a dangerous striker, but he is not at his best trying to win high balls from deep positions.

Dundee came closest to another goal when Baird got a touch to McBride's free kick, and Bell reacted well to stop the ball on the goal line.

Kilmarnock's game deteriorated badly from then on and it was no surprise when they were booed off by their own fans at half time.

Early in the second half poor defending by Sissoko allowed Harkins to cross for Baird to head wide at the near post.

Dundee were picking their moments to attack and showed far more composure than Killie when they did so. Harkins, in particular, was excellent. He was always available to take a pass and keep the attack flowing.

The home fans tried to lift their team, and were rewarded with a brief surge in the middle of the second half. Killie started to show more urgency, but they failed to create any chances or unsettle the solid Dark Blue defence.

The Killie charge soon fizzled out and their prospects were looking bleak. The equaliser after 74 minutes was a surprise, but it was the sort of finish that Kris Boyd is always capable of delivering. Substitute William Gros crossed from the right. For once the Dundee defence didn't bat it away. BOYD controlled the ball and scored from 10 yards before he could be closed down; a very well taken goal.

Kilmarnock got a lift from the goal, but they were too eager to get the ball forward and simply started to give the ball away more quickly.

Dundee didn't let the loss of the ball shake them and the way that they reacted delighted the small bunch of travelling fans.

Kevin McBride hit a great pass down the right wing to release Lewis Toshney, who looked up and played a low cross for Gary HARKINS to hook the ball into the net from 10 yards; a beautifully worked and finished goal.

The goal floored Killie who offered little threat as time ran out. Ibrahim managed to get his head to a Hay cross in the last few minutes, only to send the ball straight to Simonsen. Apart from that the home side were toothless and bereft of ideas; Dundee looked far more likely to score. They might have got a third when Harkins seemed to be tripped after running along the byline from a short corner, but again Mr Brines declined to award a penalty.

Andy Barrowman came on for the last 20 minutes and fitted neatly into Dundee's system, linking well with Harkins.

The three minutes of injury time were spent mainly with Dundee keeping the ball in the Killie half, with the home side looking well beaten.

This was an excellent professional performance and a well deserved win. The Dark Blues looked solid and composed all over the park. Everyone seemed to know what they had to do, and everyone delivered. The three man defence was effective, and the wing backs ensured that Dundee still had some width as they came forward. The three men in central midfield stopped Killie playing their way through the middle, and gave Dundee an effective platform to launch attacks. However, the key man was Gary Harkins who gave exactly the sort of performance he wanted to deliver at Rugby Park. He celebrated his two goals discreetly, but no-one could miss the fact he enjoyed them hugely. So did we all!

Match report written by James Christie - Official Dundee website