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Our final pre-season warm-up match ended in a narrow defeat to our Premiership visitors, Zak Rudden heading the decisive goal midway through the second half.

Paul Hartley had begun the game with a 3-5-2 formation which included five trialists. Two of those joined Will Gillingham in the back three, with Balint Demus starting in goal. The other trialists filled in at right wingback, central midfield and up front. Arron Darge was on the left, Mark Gallagher and Sena in the middle, with Mitch Megginson partnered up front by another of the players hoping to secure a deal.

We almost snatched an early lead when, from a throw-in on the right, Trialist B created an opening before shooting just wide with an angled shot from the right.

Dundee were however soon controlling possession, without creating much in the way of clear cut opportunities, prompting the manager to switch to a flat back four, with Trialist C stepping forward into midfield.

Demus was called into serious action for the first time in the nineteenth minute, diving to his right to grab a twenty-yard strike by Lyall Cameron, and soon after the big keeper pulled off another fine save, holding Robertson’s effort from the edge of the box.

Just past the half hour mark we were forced into a change. Trialist E had to limp off injured to be replaced by Trialist A, who stepped in at left back, with Arron Darge switching to his preferred position on the right.

Balint Demus then came to our rescue again in the thirty-eighth minute. From a corner on their right, Dundee worked the ball into the box, Ashcroft flicking it goalwards. Demus leapt to his right to push the defender’s shot over the bar.

Cove made three alterations at the interval. Nick Suman replaced Demus, Kyle Connell came on up front in place of Megginson and Trialist J took over from Trialist F. Dundee removed Byrne and Legzdins and introduced Rudden and McCracken, and the substitute keeper was soon called into action.

Mark Gallagher showed good footwork, dancing into the box, and his low angled shot was pushed behind for a corner. Gallagher was again at the heart of the action shortly after, getting in behind the away defence and clipping an inviting ball to the back post. Trialist J – a scorer in midweek against Peterhead – met the cross with an acrobatic effort, his shot rebounding off the underside of the bar.

It was then Dundee’s turn to come close when Rudden met Beck’s corner with a powerful close range header. Suman instinctively threw out his right hand to divert the ball for a corner.

With an hour gone, Paul Hartley made his last three substitutions, calling off Trialists C and K, and Mark Gallagher, and bringing on Burrell, Vigurs and Trialist G.

Minutes later, Dundee took the lead. Anderson whipped in a corner from the left and the unmarked Zak RUDDEN headed powerfully into the net at the near post.

As the match moved into its final ten minutes we almost levelled in spectacular fashion. Kyle Connell instantly controlled a high bouncing ball and unleashed a stinging thirty-five yard strike which brought a superb save out of the scrambling McCracken, the keeper pushing it away for a corner.

It was to be the last serious action of the encounter, the final whistle bringing the curtain down on our pre-season programme with attention now focused on our Viaplay Cup opener against Clyde on Tuesday evening.

The manager will continue to assess the trialists and will add to his squad in the coming days. Meanwhile, the club can confirm that Shay Logan has now left Cove Rangers following the mutually agreed early termination of his contract. We would like to thank Shay for his efforts in recent seasons and wish him well for the future.

COVE RANGERS: (3-5-2) Demus; Trialist C, Trialist F, Gillingham; Trialist E, Trialist B, Gallagher, Sena, Darge; Megginson, Trialist K

Substitutes: Suman, Burrell, Connell, Trialist A, Trialist G, Vigurs, Trialist J

DUNDEE: (4-3-3) Legzdins; Kerr, Shaughnessy, Ashcroft, Beck; Anderson, Byrne, Cameron; McCowan, Robinson, Robertson

Substitutes: McCracken, Sharp, McGhee, Mulligan, Rudden, Richardson, Allan, Wilkie, Graham, Lamb

Referee: Greg Soutar

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