Dundee 3
Dumbarton 0
League (Championship)

Match Report

Dundee ended their poor run at home with a 3-0 victory over Dumbarton today. The score looks impressive, but the Dark Blues rode their luck and the result was harsh on the Sons, who didn't get the breaks that their neat play deserved.

Following an uninspiring first half Peter MacDonald fired the Dee into the lead only a minute after the break. Dumbarton came back strongly and looked worth at least a point. However, Dundee clinched the points with fine late goals by Kevin McBride and MacDonald again.

John Brown made only a single change after last week's win at Alloa; Kyle Benedictus replaced the suspended Iain Davidson.

The first half was uncomfortably familiar for the home supporters. Dundee may have had more of the ball, but they were playing with little confidence or fluency. Dumbarton had the best chance and always looked capable of opening up the home defence with smart movement and sharp passing.

Without ever looking impressive Dundee did create a series of early chances from which they should have scored at least once. Jim McAlister couldn't quite reach Nicky Riley's cross with the goal gaping. McBride and MacDonald combined to set up Gavin Rae who fired over from 15 yards. Martin Boyle then deflected a MacDonald shot, only for Sons' keeper Jamie Ewings to pull off a great reaction save. Scott Linton made a mess of a high ball, allowing Riley to set up MacDonald, but Ewings saved. Riley was next to have a go when Ewings failed to gather a cross, but he couldn't get any power in his header and the ball was cleared before it could trundle over the line.

The game was far from being one sided and Dumbarton carried plenty of menace with their attacks. The Dark Blues had an astonishing escape midway through the half, thanks to Declan Gallagher and Sons' striker Garry Fleming. Bryan Prunty was sent clean through on Kyle Letheren, who blocked well. The ball rebounded to Fleming who had time to control the ball 12 yards out and take aim, with only Gallagher on the goal line to beat. Amazingly he failed to bury his shot and the big defender stretched to clear the ball.

Jordan Kirkpatrick had a half chance shortly afterwards, when he had time to shoot from the edge of the box, but Gary Irvine managed to deflect the shot for a corner. When it came over Bryan Prunty was unmarked 12 yards out, but Letheren saved well from the header. Dumbarton were looking very dangerous now. Kirkpatrick had another go, this time from long range, and Letheren had to beat the ball away.

Dundee lost Nicky Riley who limped off late in the first half. Ryan Conroy replaced him, going to the left wing with Jim McAlister moving to the right.

In Dundee's last attack of the first half McAlister failed to hit the target when he blazed a MacDonald pass over the bar from a good position.

When the half time whistle went the nervousness of the home fans was clear. Dundee had had plenty of chances to take the lead, but had needed a huge slice of luck to keep a clean sheet.

Dundee started the second half well, forcing Dumbarton to defend deeply. A goal followed immediately. Gavin Rae found Jim McAlister who fed the ball through for Peter MACDONALD to rifle home a great cross shot from 16 yards.

Dumbarton were convinced that they'd scored a quick equaliser when Letheren couldn't take a high ball under pressure. Prunty forced the ball goalwards, but it was cleared from a scrum in the goal mouth with the visitors certain that it had crossed the line. Their astonishment and fury when the officials waved play on seemed understandable.

Dundee then made the fans endure a long, nerve-wracking spell in which they couldn't retain possession and allowed Dumbarton to dominate.

Paul McGinn surged to the byline and pulled the ball back for Bryan Prunty to hit a fierce goal bound shot from 14 yards. Kyle Letheren pulled off the save of the day, leaping to his right to touch the ball over the bar.

In a rare Dundee attack Kevin McBride gave a hint of what was to come with a blistering 30 yard shot that Ewings was happy to parry clear.

Letheren was quickly back in action, touching Megginson's 18 yard shot over the bar. The Dark Blues were now under real pressure and that was largely their own fault. Poor passing, especially when they tried to move out of defence, meant that the Sons were doing almost all of the attacking in the middle of the second half.

John Brown sent on Carlo Monti to replace Martin Boyle, who had been booked. Dumbarton made a more significant change by going with three strikers for the last 20 minutes, withdrawing midfielder Megginson and sending on Colin Nish.

Nish had a quick half chance when he sent a looping header goalwards for Letheren to collect. The gamble backfired on the Sons, however, as the extra room in midfield allowed Dundee to get back into the match. Ryan Conroy made space well and his right foot shot from the edge of the area was accurate, but lacked power. Ewings gave his defenders a scare by pushing the ball back into the danger area, but he recovered before any of the Dee strikers could pounce.

At last Dundee secured the crucial second goal after 82 minutes. For once the Dark Blues were able to keep possession patiently as they probed for an opening. Kevin MCBRIDE took the ball wide on the right and advanced to score with a wonderful shot across Ewings and into the top corner from 25 yards.

The points were safe now; Dundee relaxed and started to move the ball around more smoothly. Monti released McAlister on the right and his dangerous cut back was hacked clear from a corner. Monti then moved over to the left and found space well. He swung over a perfect cross and Peter MACDONALD swept a first time shot into the far corner from 12 yards.

The scoreline was cruel on the Sons, but there was no denying the quality of these late goals. There was still time for one more big cheer, when Stephen O'Donnell came on to play the last few minutes, his first appearance for the first team since the New Year game at St Johnstone very nearly a year ago.

This was a strange game. Even up to the 80th minute it could have swung either way. Dundee can point to numerous chances in addition to the goals that they did score, but Dumbarton were fully their equal for most of the game and bettered them for a long spell in the second half. In addition, Dundee had two massive escapes and it was no surprise when goalkeeper Kyle Letheren was announced as the sponsor's man of the match.

Three points, three goals and a clean sheet are all very welcome, but Dundee will need to do better than this. There was too much slack play, and if Dumbarton had had any luck they could have won this game, whatever the scoreline might say. Still, the Dark Blues have broken that worrying cycle of good away wins followed by poor results at home. The performance might not have been impressive today, but the result was exactly what the supporters were hoping for.

Match report written by James Christie - Official Dundee website