Match Report - Dundee (A)

Dundee 0-0 Ross County

Attendance 4887 – 113 away supporters

Ross County claimed what could go on to be an important point on the road in a goalless draw against Dundee.

The Staggies had the ball in the back of the net, but it wasruled out by Colin Steven who claimed that Jordan White was interfering with play.

Both sides had chances throughout, but it was defences on top in a result which will leave Ross County supports feeling aggrieved that it is only one point claimed and not three.

It is still a positive result for Malky’s side on the road – but that referring call makes it feel like two dropped.

Mackay made three changes to his side narrowly lost to Hearts. Dylan Smith made his first start of the season whilst Simon Murray and Victor Loturi also returned to the XI.

Dundee continued with their back five formations, with McCowan, Rudden and Bakayoko as their attacking trio.

Ross County had the earliest real chance when Yan Dhanda whipped in a corner which Jack Baldwin met with his head. There was power in his header, but it was cleared off the line by the Dundee defence.

Simon Murray had a great chance shortly after when Yan Dhanda played a perfect pass through the defence for County’s top scorer to latch onto. Unfortunately, Murray could only fire down the barrel at Carson who made the save. Simon Murray will know he could maybe have done more with that opportunity.

Throughout the rest of the half Dundee were the side who rallied. They were on top in terms of chances, getting several shots away. However, none of them had enough quality behind them to trouble Ross Laidlaw – who was imperious all night.

The tie at Dens Park was not the prettiest game of football, and that was backed up by the use of the referee’s yellow card which was dished out seven times in all.

The game remained fairly even, but County continued the push as Yan Dhanda drifted wide to get on the ball more.

Ben Purrington played the ball back as a set-up for Yan Dhanda’s pinpoint cross. The ball didn’t meet its target, Jordan White, but it did bounce in front of Trevor Carson. He flapped at the ball slightly and failed to claim it. Carson dropped it in a bad area and James Brown steamed in at the back post and poked the ball home.

That should have broken the deadlock for the Staggies, but the linesman, rightly, had his flag up to let VAR take over and check the Jordan White offside.

White was offside but remained some distance away from the goalkeeper. Colin Steven was asked to go to the screen and determine whether the big striker was interfering with the play. He adjudged that he had – leaving County supporters in the stand baffled as to why their lead had been snatched away from them.

That decision maybe took the sting out of the Staggiesslightly, who from then on in didn’t have many chances.

Eamonn Brophy and Alex Samuel came on to try and push for a winner, but it wasn’t to be for Ross County.

Dundee had a small flurry of late chances and could have settled the match when Scott Allardice gave the ball away cheaply on halfway leaving Pineda to run through – but to the thankfulness of the away support he squandered his chance.

Disregarding the chopped-off goal, a point would have been a fair result, and the performance probably matches that statement.

However, Staggies have every right to be feeling hard done by VAR and the referee – who at the end of the day gave a very subjective call.

Nonetheless – a point on the road to build on for Malky Mackay and his players who face another trip down the A9 to Motherwell on Saturday.

Ross County team: Laidlaw, Baldwin, Smith, Leak, Brown, Purrington; Randall, Loturi, Dhanda; Murray White.

Dundee team: Carson, Beck, Shaughnessy, Portales, Lamie, McGhee; Robertson, Boateng, McCowan; Rudden, Bakayoko.

Yellow cards:

Rudden.

White, Murray, Brophy, Loturi, Brown, Baldwin.

Player of the match: Ross Laidlaw.