MATCH REPORT

What had been a strong and disciplined defensive display was undone in the space of two minutes early in the second half as the promotion favourites took a stranglehold on the game with a quickfire double.

Despite Scott Fox saving a penalty, Dundee were in charge from that point, and ran out comfortable winners.

With Fraser Fyvie ruled out for the season, the manager was also without Blair Yule and Brody Paterson, who picked up ligament damage in training during the week.

Recent signings David Bangala and Gime Toure were both included for the first time, David replacing Leighton McIntosh in the only change to the starting line-up, while Gime was handed a place on the bench.

It was a quiet start to the encounter, both sides getting a feel for the ball, but neither able to create any meaningful openings, and it was not until the eleventh minute that anything of note happened. Connor Scully controlled a bouncing ball and laid it off to Mitch Megginson, and the skipper set off towards the home goal, wriggling his way just inside the box before shooting wide of the near post.

Over the piece, it was a first half low on quality, with the highlight coming in the third minute of stoppage time. The impressive Cameron controlled the ball and unleased a thirty-yard drive which looked headed for the top corner only for Scott Fox to leap across his six-yard box and claw it for a corner with his outstretched left hand. It was another outstanding save by the Cove keeper, following on from his superb performance at Firhill last weekend.

Having made two substitutions, the home side were quickly on top after the interval, but the boys again defended well. Dunne blocked a McMullan cross, Scott Ross cleared an effort and Longstaff averted the danger at the back post before Ashcroft headed over from eight yards. The breakthrough came in the fiftieth minute. After good interplay on the right, substitute Zach ROBINSON raced to the bye-line and fired low and hard to the near post, Fox unable to prevent the ball from squirming in.

Almost immediately in was two-nil, with the two Dundee substitutes linking-up to double their advantage. Robinson turned provider this time, teeing up the opportunity perfectly for Alex JAKUBIAK who drilled his shot low into the corner of the net from fifteen yards.

Paul Hartley then made a double switch, Bangala and Dunne being replaced by McIntosh and Toure, for his debut. Gime’s first contribution was to concede a penalty for a foul on Cameron. The Dundee midfielder took the spot-kick himself, and struck it well enough, but Scott Fox dived to his right to pull off another excellent one-handed save.

With twenty minutes remaining, Mitch Megginson limped off holding his hamstring to be replaced by Tony Weston, and the new man had an almost immediate opening. Toure showed what he has to offer, collecting the ball on halfway and driving forward before teeing up Weston, but Tony’s sixteenyard shot was too close to Legzdins.

Gime Toure’s eventful debut continued with a booking for a foul on Fisher, then Fox pulled off another superb save, tipping over Sweeney’s strong header.

The third Dundee goal came with eleven minutes to go, expertly set up by Paul McMullan who clipped a ball perfectly into the box for Lyall CAMERON to run on to and beat Fox with a low angled drive.

The remainder of the game petered out with Dundee never in any danger of letting their advantage slip.

Dundee (4-2-3-1)

Sneddon; McMillan (McKinnon 46), McAvoy (Muirhead 59), Holt (c), Milne; Bannigan, Hodson; Lawless (Graham 46), Turner, Fitzpatrick; Mullen (Tiffoney 46)

Substitutes

Sharp, Marshall, Anderson, Tolaj

Goalscorers

Robinson (50), Jakubiak (52)

Cove Rangers (4-3-3)

Fox; Naismith, Ross, Neill, Logan; Bangala, (McIntosh 59) Virtanen, Scully; Longstaff, Megginson (c) (Weston 69), Dunne (Toure 59)

Substitutes

Gourlay, McClelland, Vigurs, Glass, Reynolds

Booked

Virtanen (41), Fox (61), Toure (75), Neill (86)

Referee

Craig Napier

Attendance

4,208