If you are going to end a barren win-less run up in the Highlands then what better way to do so than on the first day of the season and without your star player.
The fans were rocked an hour before kick off when rumours appeared that Greg Stewart would be missing from the squad to face Ross County and when the team line up were unveiled, our fears were made a reality. The official word from the club is that he injured his ankle in training on Thursday but that still did not stop the fans speculating about his status with the club.
A fair few people including some football pundits have us down as a team that will struggle without the prolific Kane Hemmings and the man who makes everything happen, Greg Stewart. This performance proved them wrong for the time being.
Opponents Ross County may have had the bulk of the possession and the bulk of the shots on target but when it came down to that one vital statistic, Dundee were the ones that scored the most goals.
When it came to the team standing up and making a name for their selves without Hemmings and Stewart, they did so in considerable fashion. They proved that there is and would be a team that can perform if the inevitable happens sooner than later and Stewart follows Kane out the exit door. We often relay on the more gifted of players to produce week in week out and this sometimes softens the burden that may rest on the other player’s shoulders but when that burden was placed on them on Saturday past, they all passed with flying colours.
Everyone had a fine game for the Dee especially the new boys in the team like Mark O’Hara who many are predicting to be an excellent addition for the club. James Vincent and Danny Williams all add something that I felt was missing last season in midfield.
One person who deserves some praise was left back Kevin Holt. His first season with us may not have gone the way he wanted and he was often a target for fans but his performance on Saturday was by far his best in a Dundee shirt. You could put this down to the added talent we now have in midfield and giving him the extra cover which was something he never had last season. Hopefully we will start seeing the best of him after a shaky start to his Dark Blue career.
Over eight hundred travelling fans witnessed a fine professional performance from Dundee and a well deserved win. They restricted and frustrated County throughout the match and if it were not for a wicked deflection, they would have claimed a clean sheet which the team deserved.
None the less, the three points was all that mattered at the full time whistle and for the second season on the trot, Dundee sit top of the Scottish Premiership after the opening weekend. This will only be for a fleeting moment undoubtedly but for now we will enjoy it.
A special mention has to go to Rory Loy. Last season he had a fantastic start for Dundee until an injury put him out and Hemmings took his spot. The rest of the story we know all too well and Loy was played out of position for the rest of the year.
He has been given the chance to prove himself again and he has done so in a great professional manner. Throughout this entire time, he has not moaned, thrown his rattle out the pram or come onto the pitch and given anything less than 100%. He has knuckled down and done what has been asked of him. He struggled on some occasions but who wouldn’t when you are a striker that has been asked to play out of position.
Play Loy down the wing and you get yourself a trier. Play Loy in a striker’s position and you get yourself a goal scorer. The lad will score goals no matter what your opinion is of him and with Faissal El Bakhtaoui and Yordi Teijsse impressing a few weeks back, goals will not be hard to come by this season for the Dee.
On a personal note for Loy, his two goals on Saturday just made him Dundee’s all time top goal scorer against Ross County. Not bad for a player that has only been with us for a year!
So this Saturday we have an early kick off, midday against the Rangers at Dens Park and it is sure to be a cracker. Both teams will be up for this clash after their results in their opening matches and for different reasons.
The Rangers will want to put a disappointing home draw with Hamilton behind them by grabbing all three points against us while Dundee will want to build on their win against Ross County and to keep the momentum going. The Dundee players will also be gunning for redemption against the Glasgow team after the horror show that was our Scottish Cup Quarter Final defeat last season.
I have a feeling this will be some game.
MON THE DEE!
