Search the Community

Last chance if you believe in miracles Dens Park is the venue on Sunday for what will no doubt be our final league cup game of this 'pre-season' in a 3:00pm kick-off. All is lost as it's only the three best second placed teams that qualify for the knockout stages. In the other game in group E, Airdrie take on Bonnyrigg with Dumbarton having played all their games. The best we can take from Dens park is to find out our best starting XI and get more game time and understanding amongst the players before we open our Championship account against Queens Park next Saturday. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Match Info/Tickets/Supporters Bus Ethan Cairns & Harry Hennem on Loan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts 1 Air 3 3 0 0 6 2 4 9 2 Dun 3 2 0 1 4 2 2 6 3 Dum 4 1 1 2 3 6 -3 5 4 ICT 3 1 0 2 5 6 -1 3 5 Bon 3 0 1 2 1 3 -2 1 Latest Team News Sean Welsh and Roddy MacGregor missed out against Airdrie. Lewis Nicolson has injured his knee and will be out for some time. Keith Bray was a stand-out in the second half against Airdrie with Nathan Shaw looking the most likely to add a few assists from his creative wing play. Luis Longstaff might have potential, only game time will tell. However, our defence needs to cut out the glaring individual errors which have blighted our games so far. Dundee are in the big boys league now. Decent squad with plenty in reserve. By all accounts the two Mexicans are excellent acquisitions. They have added to their attacking options with the addition of physical striker Amadou Bakayoko on loan from Forest Green Rovers. Here's their squad from the 3-1 win over Dumbarton: Legzdins Portales Shaughnessy Ashcroft (Robertson 83) Mulligan Boateng McGhee Tiffoney Beck Robinson Pineda (Cameron 67) Subs not used: McCracken; Kerr, Byrne, Rudden, Anderson, Sharp, Wilkie

Too little too late. Dundee manager Jake McPake looked to have tightened his shoogely peg as first half goals from Max Anderson and Jason Cummings put Dundee in at the break two up. Inverness were out of sorts in a poor first forty-five. Nikolay Todorov pulled a goal back with fifteen minutes left heading home a Cammy Harper cross. Inverness mounted a mini-comeback but fell just short as Dundee held on for all three points. Neil McCann returned to Dens Park where he had mixed fortunes as a player and manager. Tonight he would be in the away dugout with John Robertson on compassionate leave. His first game in charge was a 1-1 draw with Hearts on Friday night. Four days later and here we are at Dens Park looking to keep in touch with the teams in the top four. David Carson was on the bench after two MotM performances and Roddy MacGregor was not in the squad, presumably injured. Daniel Mackay and Scott Allardice were in the starting XI. As expected, Dundee were without Charlie Adam due to the results of the positive covid testing at Dens Park. Here's RiG with his match report Grim, grim, grim. Dundee were well on top at the start and although we pushed them back a bit they quickly re-established their dominance. They knew a high press against our back line would work given McCann's preference to play out from the back and players were often caught in possession. Meanwhile, our defence looked haphazard any time a cross or long throw came anywhere near it. McDaid turning Duffy inside out for a good chunk of the first half before he eventually realised he could nullify him by sending him towards the bye line was criminal in how long it took to be employed. By that time though the damage was largely done. McMullan was ripping Harper apart on the ICT left and he sent in a cross that found Max Anderson as he burst into the penalty area and although Ridgers did well to save his first effort the Dee player made no mistake at the second time of asking and put Dundee 1-0 up. We rallied a little to push the home side back a bit and had some half chances but Dundee took a deserved two goal lead when a high ball into the box was missed and it landed at the feet of Cummings who spun round and whipped the ball into the net. Prior to this Dundee had great chances falling the way of Mullen, Cummings and Anderson who all had goal bound efforts blocked by Deas or Ridgers. It was one way traffic in the first half and ICT could count themselves fortunate not to be further behind. Half Time: 2-0 Second half was less eventful overall compared to the first. A suspiciously offside looking Storey broke through the Dundee defence but shot straight at Hamilton as the angle narrowed whilst Sow blazed over after good work by Cummings on a Dundee counter attack. We did get one goal back when Harper sent over a delicious cross from the left touchline to find Toddy at the back post and he thumped a header past the flailing Hamilton. Great goal from the big striker and one wonders what he needs to do to get a start. A similar move almost lead to an ill deserved equaliser but this time the header went wide. Grim performance from us. As has been the case at times this season we are poor for about 75% of the game then improve markedly for the final 15 to 20 minutes or look like we might do something. I know we have important creative players like Doran and McDonald out but we should be still be doing better than we are. We created precious little for most of that game it is extremely concerning going into a very tough game on Saturday against Alloa. Go behind in that and I don't fancy our chances of turning it around into a much needed 3 points. Neil McCann post match Date: 02/03/2021 Venue: Dens park, Dundee Attendance: 0000 Referee: Steven Kirkland Dundee FC: 2 Manager: James McPake Lineup: Hamilton; Fontaine, Elliot, Ashcroft, Marshall, McGowan, McMullan, Mullen (Sow 53), Anderson (Byrne 87), McDaid, Cummings (Aflabi 91) Subs (not used): Legzdins; Kerr, Fagan-Walcott, Robertson Scorers: Anderson (10), Cummings (45) Booked: McGowan (60) Sent Off: none Inverness CT: 1 Manager: Neil McCann Lineup: Ridgers; Duffy, Deas, Devine (B Mckay 77), Harper, D Mackay (Todorov 61) Welsh, Allardice (Carson 46), Keatings, Sutherland, Storey Subs (not used): C Mackay; Nicolson, Fyffe, Vincent Scorers: Todorov (75) Booked: Deas (63), Welsh (65) Sent Off: none a

Fox in the box earns Dens draw For the third time in his short Caley Thistle career Liam Fox came off the bench and snatched an equalising goal. The Dundee fans were stunned as they thought that three precious points were in the bag. Dundee certainly had the chances and were twice denied by the woodwork. ICT played excellent flowing football but lacked the killer touch. The atmosphere was very tense as the Dundee fans faced relegation. Derek Soutar held a Stuart Golabek effort in the opening seconds but the best early chance fell to Dundee in the eighth minute. A Tam McManus corner landed in a crowded box and, after penalty claims, Mark Brown dived to save a close-range shot from Callum MacDonald. Two minutes later Graham Bayne latched onto a Richie Hart corner but his clever near-post header crept over. Brown blocked a McManus angled shot in 16 minutes then the keeper watched helplessly as a McManus free kick from the left raced low across goal and came off the far post. An Iain Anderson low free kick in 35 minutes headed goalwards but Brown turned it for a corner. Half Time: 0-0 Fabian Caballero came on at half-time for Dundee and within a minute he headed wide. Dundee finally made a breakthrough in 49 minutes when Sancho headed in a McManus corner. The home fans saw light at the end of the SPL tunnel but Caley Thistle began to dominate the match. Dundee defended in depth but did come very close on the break in 64 minutes. Steve Lovell ran onto a through ball but his shot came off the bar. ICT substitute Rory McAllister tested Soutar in 73 minutes with a header to the top corner. Lovell tried again in 77 minutes when he chased a pass down the right. Brown came out to narrow the angle and slipped. Lovell failed to take advantage as his lob crossed the face of the goal and was cleared. With two minutes left Grant Munro sent a trademark long throw from the left and it fell for Golabek. His shot was blocked by Sancho but Fox was well positioned to collect the rebound and hit home the equaliser. As the clock ticked into overtime Dundee were awarded a free kick 25 yards out. Mann stepped up to take it; reminiscent of his Inverness days, but his high shot was held by Brown. Russell Duncan quickly led a breakaway and set up Craig Brewster on the left. The player/manager bore down on Soutar but shot wide. Full Time: 1-1 The relegation battle now goes to the last day. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dundee: 1 (Sancho 49) Team: Soutar; Robertson (McNally 37), Mann, Sancho, Robb, McDonald, Brady (Caballero 45), Smith, Anderson, McManus, Lovell (Barrett 82). Subs Not Used: Dubourdeau; Larsen, Fotheringham, Sutton - Booked: Sancho (50). Inverness CT: 1 (Fox 88) Team: Brown; Tokely, Dods, Munro, Golabek, Hastings, Duncan, Hart, McBain (Fox 71), Prunty (Brewster 63), Bayne (McAllister 71). Subs Not Used: Fraser; Proctor, Black - Booked: None Attendance: 6,691 - Referee: Craig Thomson

Bitter disappointment Caley Thistle had 75% of the play but managed only 25% of the goals. Meh! With Ross Tokely suspended Stuart McCaffrey came in, and Craig Brewster started up front with Graham Bayne. Caley Thistle started with a flourish and pressed the Dundee goal for most of the game. From the kick-off Barry Wilson raced down the right and sent in a low dangerous ball which was cleared then McBain shot well over the bar from outside the box. Dundee's Tam McManus ran into the Caley Thistle box in the ninth minute and had space to turn, but Grant Munro stepped in with a timely tackle. Brewster turned and shot over the bar in 15 minutes then a Bayne touch was held by Soutar. ICT dominance continued until the 26th minute when a Neil Barrett snap shot went over the bar. A minute later Dundee took the lead after a solo effort from Steven Robb. He ran down the left, passed two defenders, cut inside and his angled shot beat Mark Brown at the near post. From the kick-off ICT retaliated and a Brewster 25 yard shot was deflected for a corner. From Wilson's flag kick Munro rose high to head over. On the half-hour mark Fabian Caballero made a confident run into the ICT box and it took three defenders to retrieve the situation. A lob goalwards by Barry Smith cleared the bar but much closer than anticipated. The best ICT chance of the half came a minute from the whistle when a 25 yard swerving Brewster shot was touched over by Soutar. Half Time: 1-0 Hopes of a revival faded two minutes into the second half when a Caballero 18 yard shot was pushed upwards by Brown and as the ball came down McManus was there to head in Dundee's second goal, and a debut goal for him. The day went from bad to worse in 55 minutes when McCaffrey handled in the box and the resultant penalty was netted by John Sutton. A Stuart Golabek shot was deflected for a corner in 71 minutes, Bayne headed the corner over, Wilson drove over the bar in 75 minutes and Brewster curled the ball wide three minutes later; all stirring stuff but nothing to show for it. Darren Dods had to race back to rob Steven Robb ten minutes from time, but the play was still mainly in the other direction. As the minutes ticked away it was all about restoring pride as a Dods glancing header went wide and a Juanjo shot was cleared. A much-deserved goal finally came a minute from time when a Richie Hart free kick from the left curled towards the back post and Brewster was there to head his first goal for the club. The goal was welcome but it came an hour too late. With three added minutes there was still time for Wilson to shoot wide and a very good Bayne effort to be held by Soutar. Full Time: 3-1 This game completed the set of home/away matches against all SPL clubs and ICT now lie ninth but only three points off the foot of the table. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dundee: 3 (Robb 28, McManus 48, Sutton 56 pen). Team: Soutar, McNally, Wilkie, McDonald, Robb, Fotheringham, Barrett (Mann 86), Smith, Sutton, McManus (Robertson 66), Caballero (Larsen 79). Subs Not Used: Jack, Cerdeira, Clark. - Booked: None Inverness CT: 1 (Brewster 90) Team: Brown, Munro, Dods, McCaffrey, Golabek, Wilson, Duncan, Keogh (Juanjo 69), McBain (Hart 58), Brewster, Bayne. Subs Not Used: Fraser, Hastings, Proctor, Prunty, Black. - Booked: Golabek (60), Duncan (60). Attendance: 5,567 - Referee: Alan Freeland