Courtesy of DFC
DUNDEE PUT TO SWORD BY HIGHLANDERS
Interim boss John Brown and assistant Ray Farningham were at Links Park, Montrose on Tuesday afternoon to cast an eye over the young Dees as they took on Inverness Caledonian Thistle in a Clydesdale Bank Under 20 league match.
Dundee’s two recent signings, David Morgan and Don Cowan were both in the ‘home’ line-up in this game switched from Dens.
The Highlanders were first to threaten when Craig Smith brought down Matthew Cooper on the edge of the penalty area and Dundee keeper Alex Baird had to look lively to hold on to Liam Polworth’s free kick effort.
Baird had to be alert again five minutes later, this time saving at the feet of Cooper.
Don Cowan was making an impressive debut for Dundee. The striker was proving a handful for the Inverness defence with his power and pace and he opened the scoring in the 19th minute.
A long ball out of defence looked to be the Caley centre half’s ball all the way, but Cowan brushed his man aside before racing into the box and sending an unstoppable shot high into the net.
Five minutes later, though, Caley were back on level terms courtesy of a soft penalty award, the ball appearing to strike Matty Allan’s arm as he lay on the ground and Polworth sent Baird the wrong way with his spot kick.
Dundee went back up the other end and Rori Bews sent a dangerous free kick into the box which unfortunately found no takers.
Inverness almost took the lead on the half hour mark when Kyle White rattled the Dens Parkers’ crossbar.
Just before half time the impressive Cowan saw his shot go narrowly past the upright.
HT: Dundee 1 Inverness CT 1
Another Polworth free kick in the opening minutes of the second period saw Baird again having to save low to his right.
Craig Wallace then made a terrific lung-bursting run up the left wing but when his ball was cut out and played back down the park, Kevin Buchan picked up a booking as he covered for the left back.
On the hour mark the visitors took the lead. A diagonal ball into the Dundee box found Ryan Watson at the back post and he drove the ball past Baird.
Dundee then sent on Lee Cameron for Gary Duggan, Kyle Clark for Bews and Calum McHardy for Cowan in an attempt to get the equaliser.
A spectacular Kevin Buchan effort from 25 yards had the visiting keeper struggling and he was just able to turn it round the post for a corner. Buchan was then just off target with a 30-yard effort that cleared the bar by inches.
In the final minute Caley wrapped things up with a third goal, this one coming from White from close range.
FT: Dundee 1 Inverness CT 3
Dundee: Baird, Kerr, Wallace, Smith, Allan, Morgan, Birmingham, Bews (Clark 62), Cowan (McHardy 68), Buchan, Duggan (Cameron 61).
Report by Jim Davie