Dundee Comeback to Win from 2-0 Down to Defeat Pars

On Saturday evening at 19:20 a crucial tie in the hunt for the promotion play-offs kicked off in the championship. Then 5th placed Dundee took on Dunfermline who went into this encounter in 3rd place, with the least games played in the league so far, having up to 3 matches in-hand on all of the teams around them. A win for Dundee at Dens Park would launch them into 3rd place, only behind Raith Rovers on goal difference. A 'Pars' win would see them into 2nd in the table outright, still 13 points behind leaders 'Hearts'.

Head to Head

This fixture has been known to be a tight affair, and going off of recent form many fans may have been prepared for a draw as 5 of the last 10 meetings between these two sides have ended without a winner. Dunfermline have won 4 of those 10 matches, with Dundee sneaking a solitary victory. This has been a much more successful game for the 'Pars' than the 'Dee' as of late.

The only game so far between Dunfermline and Dundee this season was a thrilling 3-all draw, a 6 goal thriller. A Charlie Adam thunderbolt in the 35th minute opened the scoring, before Sow added a second on 55 minutes with his head, experienced defender Fontaine then added a third 20 minutes from time. 3-0 up with less than 15 minutes left and Dundee appeared to have sealed a dominant and convincing victory, with surely no way back for Dunfermline.

In the 78th Wilson added what appeared to be a consolation goal for the 'Pars' with a big mountain still to climb. 4 minutes from time and ex-'par' Lee Ashcroft fouled young striker Lewis McCann in the penalty area to throw the Fife club a lifeline. Declan McManus dispatched the penalty from 12 yards out, into the bottom right corner. Game on. It was looking as though the late fightback from Crawford's team was all for nothing with only 3 minutes of added time to play. In the 92nd minute Max Anderson fouled Kyle Turner. McManus stepped up for the following free-kick and sent it into the top corner of the goal equalising the game for Dunfermline to secure an impossible point, when not even 10 minutes ago they looked down and out.

The game ended 3-3, a good result for Dundee on the face of it but in reality an embarrassing collapse in the final 12 minutes denied the 'Dee' from taking all 3 points, they will be looking for revenge on Saturday and to prevent another collapse.

Dunfermline showed you can never rule them out and their fighting spirit earned them a good point away from home, they will hope to play like they did in those final 12 this time around for the full 90.

The Match

First Half

The first half started with a bang as the ball went down the left flank of the Dunfermline attack, only 3 minutes in and sloppy defending from the home side resulted in a deflected tackle sending the ball to O'Hara, the number 7 was presented the ball and fired the ball into the far reaches of the net off balance, to put his side 1-0 up early on. Could Dunfermline have asked for a better start?

Yes, they certainly could. And they got one!

More calamitous defending from an all over the place Dundee team. Fontaine lost the ball, his attempted challenge blocked and then bouncing to Ashcroft whose clearance clattered into Wighton, the ex-Dundee striker picked the ball up inside the box, still having plenty of work to do to beat the keeper, and dinked Legzdins in the 'Dee' goal. His well place strike nestled in the back of the net to put pars 2 goals to the good in 6 minutes. Dundee were the masters of their own downfall and certainly paid the price. Dunfermline were on cloud nine.

A Dundee corner was whipped into the box and a serious chance to half the deficit was narrowly glanced wide, it really should have been 2-1. Paul McMullan then beat his man before lashing an effort at goal, but Fon Williams was more than equal to the strike and beat it away. The home side were slowly growing into the game now.

Dundee picked the ball up on the edge of the box and a long ranged effort was deflected into the path of Osman Sow. Fon Williams saved his shot excellently, before another quick reactionary stop to deny Sow once again. However, he could not stop Jason Cummings at the back post who nodded in from close range a the tightest of angles to pull a goal back. Despite the heroics of the goalkeeper no 'Pars' player could react quick enough and now their lead was looking a lot more slender. At 2-1 now Cummins latched onto a loose ball left by Murray but Owain Fon Williams came out to save, preventing a catastrophic turnaround.

Luckily for Dunfermline, who showed little attacking intent after the 6th minute, they went into the half in the lead away from home allowing Stevie Crawford to have a word with his players. Whereas James McPake went into the dressing room with a lot to say as this Dundee performance had not been good enough, defensively all over the place but towards the end of the half there were some positive attacking signs.

Second Half

Starting the second 45 and it appeared to be one way traffic, only one team wanted to attack it would seem and that was Dundee. The 'Dee' went close as McGowan skinned Comrie to fire the ball into the box, although Ashcroft's header went well wide.

Cummings set McMullan through, the winger's strike was expertly tipped onto the bar by the 'Pars' shot stopper, a narrow escape. A Dundee corner on the left was swung in by McGowan, Ashcroft's header was well on target but the Welshman in Dunfermline's goal saved his effort well. Despite this once again no defenders reacted in time as Mullen capitalised on the loose ball to level the sides. 54 minutes gone, 2-2 and the game appeared to only be heading one way.

And one way it certainly headed. Not even a full 2 minutes after the equaliser Dundee won another corner on the same left hand side, McGowan's deep delivery found Ashcroft again who had a free header, he guided the ball into the net from the edge of the box. 3-2! The comeback was complete as Dundee had finally overcame their early deficit.

Dunfermline had squandered an early lead and all of a sudden were looking a lot worse for wear. Crawford subbed new loan recruit Ewan Henderson, fellow loanee Scott Banks as well as Declan McManus on within the next 15 minutes in an attempt to recover the game. Despite the efforts of the substitutes, with Banks and Henderson in particular adding a new dimension to the team, they could not get that elusive goal and never really had another big chance at goal. Dunfermline had lost the game despite leading by 2 in 6 minutes, as Dundee closed out a crucial victory in the race for the play-offs.

My man of the match was Owain Fon Williams who did everything in his power to keep his side in the game and without him in net it could have been a lot worse for the 'Pars', none of the goals were remotely his fault and he certainly has cause to be upset with his defenders who offered him little protection.

[Ashcroft's 56th minute winner - Image: @SNS]

Match Review

Despite a horrendous start Dundee managed to recover well and win a massive home game at Dens Park, which pushed the side above Dunfermline and into 3rd place on goal difference, 3 points above the Fife outfit although with an extra game played. A much better second half performance with most of the play being in the opposition half allowed Dundee to exhibit their attacking talent, while their defensive frailties certainly remain a worry and another day could have and really should have cost them the points on Saturday.

Dundee were good value for their 3 points and were the better team over the course of the 90 minutes. They now look to their home Scottish Cup tie against Tayside rivals St. Johnstone. They will have to defend better than that if they are to progress in the competition.

From Dunfermline's point of view this was 3 points dropped and after such a promising start they collapsed in the second half, not showing any real attacking intent or will to win the game which was ultimately their downfall. Every time Dunfermline did attack they threatened the Dundee back line and once Banks and Henderson came on they looked the more likely to score but by then it was too late and their fate was sealed. The Dundee are a team who do not have the best of defences and I think that attack was the best choice for the 'Pars' who every time they did go forward, but Dundee are a good attacking side and eventually wore them down and at the end of the day.

After today's results Dunfermline now drop down to 4th in the table and travel to Raith next in a must-win Fife derby. They are back in action again on Tuesday in the Fife Derby away in Kircaldy to Raith Rovers in another promotion place 6 pointer, defeat would be hard to take for the 'Pars' and could hamper their promotion goals.

Thanks for Reading!

As a St. Johnstone fan myself I do not take in a lot of Scottish Championship football so I decided to watch this game as a neutral and it was a cracker! Hope you enjoyed if you made it this far and a share would go a long way, thank you.

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