If you are going to break a five year winless streak against a team, you may as well do it in emphatic fashion and that is just what Dundee did against Ross County.
Dundee put on a deadly and bloody impressive display against this year’s League Cup winners and even though we let them into the game with some slack defending, we controlled it from start to finish. It did take us a while to get going in the second half but when we did, County had no chance against us.
Kane Hemmings was deadly and impressive upfront again and added to his ever growing goal tally and despite Loy being played out of position again down the left, I felt he put in another good shift and found himself back on the scoresheet even if it was from a wicked deflection from a Kane shot.
One player who I was delighted to see get their first goal of the season was young Craig Wighton. He is an exceptional talent and the past few months has seen him knocking at the door for an opportunity for a run in this team. His strike on Saturday will only help in his quest for that starting spot.
Since I have spoken about all the other goalscorers from Saturday, it would be highly rude of me to leave out the man of the moment, Greg Stewart. I have not been able to make many away games this year but for me this was easily his best display in a Dundee shirt this season. He tormented the County defence throughout the game and even though they tried to stop him with some thug like challenges, he brushed them off and produced some pieces of skill that made them look like idiots and they flapped about and fell on their backsides!
Most fans have commented on the position Greg has played in all season and many including myself, felt that he is best utilised supporting the strikers. Saturday may have proved this. His and Dundee’s first goal was a terrific solo run down the middle but it was his second which had every Dundee fan talking.
Coming in from the right onto his favoured left foot, Stewart shimmied, fake shot, cut to his right, back to his left and then slotted the ball into the bottom left of the goal. The Ross County players did not have a clue what was happening. They were twisting and turning. Falling on the ground then struggling to get back up. By the time they did make it to their feet, the ball was in the back of the net and the keeper had not moved an inch. It was a joy to watch and with over 33,000 views on Facebook and over 200 retweets on Twitter, it would seem that it is just not us fans of the Dark Blue persuasion that cannot stop watching it.
Unfortunately this will highlight even more just how exceptional of a talent he is and if there were not many clubs sniffing about before, they will be now.
As great as this result was for us, to then go and draw 0-0 with Celtic at Dens Park on Tuesday was phenomenal and it signals just how badly we want to finish sixth and above.
Unfortunately I had to listen to this game on the wireless because I was at work so I cannot go in depth with any analysis but the only thing you need to know is that it was a brilliant point for us against the Champions.
As I have mentioned previously, our record is horrible against them but a goalless draw just shows how far we have come as a team. We were thumped by Celtic a good few times last season and also giving a beating at the beginning this season but to get two draws back to back against this is terrific. Also this is our first back to back clean sheet against Celtic since 1985 and will only add to the great mood that hangs around Dens right now.
Our next game and probably most important one this season comes against old foes Hamilton at New Douglas Park.
Since 2013 we have played them nine times, winning four, drawing four and losing just the once so we have form against them on our side but when you look on the flip side, only one of those wins were at their ground.
Accies home form has been abysmal though with their last victory happening way back on the 19th of September 2015. Despite us being the undisputed kings of drawing (fouteen in total) we should be heading here with no fear at all.
It is going to be a tough one to call really. We all know that a win will guarantee the top six finish we crave and I think anything other than that will not be good enough for us. Ultimately, I would have to say we should be visiting there and leaving with the three points so my prediction will be a 2-0 win for the Dee.
MON THE DEE!
