COVE RANGERS 0-2 DUNDEE

In a game of fine margins, the promotion favourites snatched all three points thanks to a deflected effort in first half stoppage time and from a corner at which our defence switched off momentarily.

Captain Mitch Megginson failed a late fitness test, and Logan, McClelland and Scully also dropped out from last week’s starting line-up, Connor missing his first league game of the season.

There was an immediate debut at left-back for Jackson Longridge, David Bangala returned at the heart of the midfield, and Luis Longstaff and Gime Toure were drafted into the attack to support Michael O’Halloran and top-scorer Leighton McIntosh.

On a cold, blustery afternoon both sides had plenty possession but neither could make any headway in what was a scrappy opening to the encounter.

It was not until the fourteenth minute that the game saw its first opening, McGhee finding Hannant in the box, but his shot was well blocked by Morgyn Neill.

Seconds later, Gime Toure raced from halfway and passed to McIntosh, but Leighton’s searching cross was intercepted by Ashcroft. That was to be a familiar tale for the remainder of the match.

Dundee came close when Cameron sent in a low cross and Reynolds got a touch, the ball spinning across goal and wide of the far post.

Jackson Longridge surged forward to create our next opportunity, finding Toure on the edge of the box, but Gime took a touch rather than shooting first time, and he was closed down.

In the twenty-sixth minute, Iain Vigurs delivered a clever free-kick into the area which Michael O’Halloran controlled and shot on the turn. The ball flew wide, apparently deflected by a defender, but referee Scott awarded a goal kick. It was not to be his last baffling decision.

Toure then came to life, firing in two dangerous crosses in quick succession. The first only just cleared the head of McIntosh while the second was nudged away by Clampin with Jason Naismith waiting to pounce.

Back came Dundee, and from Hannant’s delivery McGhee powered a header goalwards. Scott Fox dived to his left to pull off a fine save, then raced across his six yard box to block the follow-up shot.

Mark Reynolds sent a long ball forward in our next attack, McIntosh nodding it on, but Legzdins was quickly off his line to deny O’Halloran.

With the half time whistle imminent, Dundee took the lead thanks to an outrageous stroke of luck. Lyall CAMERON sent in a twenty-yard shot which looked harmless, but it took a wicked deflection and flew past Fox into the net.

After the restart, Iain Vigurs ran forward and managed to find Michael O’Halloran. A first-time strike looked on, but the forward took a touch, and the opportunity was lost.

Vigurs then sent Toure free down the left and his cross sat up for Longstaff, but as Luis shaped to shoot, he was closed down. It was all Cove now. Longstaff forced a corner which came to nothing, then he combined with McIntosh and O’Halloran to set up the next opening, but Leighton was again crowded out by the well-organised visitors’ defence.

Just when an equaliser looked the more likely outcome, Dundee doubled their advantage. McMullan rolled a short corner, catching us out, and when the ball was played low into the box, Lee ASHCROFT smashed it home from eight yards.

The boys rallied, and were still enjoying the bulk of the possession, but all too often the final ball was lacking or we didn’t have enough bodies in the box to capitalise on a succession of crosses.

In a rare foray upfield, Jakubiak shot low, bringing another good save out of Scott Fox.

We carved out two further opportunities. Longstaff clipped the ball into the box, but Longridge’s cushioned lob volley was easily saved, then Tony Weston combined with O’Halloran before sending a curling shot just wide.

It was to be the last significant action of what had been another frustrating ninety minutes, and the team fell to a defeat which saw them maintain their narrow advantage over Hamilton and Arbroath at the bottom of the table.

COVE RANGERS: (4-2-3-1) Fox; Naismith, Neill, Reynolds(c), Longridge; Vigurs, Bangala (Virtanen 80); Longstaff (Weston 84), Toure (Dunne 64), O’Halloran; McIntosh

Substitutes: Gourlay, Logan, Ross, Glass

Goalscorers:

Booked: Vigurs (66)

DUNDEE: (4-4-1-1) Legzdins; Fisher, Ashcroft, Sweeney(c), Clampin (Marshall 67); McMullan, McGhee, Williamson (McCowan 81), Hannant (Anderson 81); Cameron (Mulligan 67); Robinson (Jakubiak 67)

Substitutes: Sharp, Byrne, Robertson

Goalscorers: Cameron (45), Ashcroft (59)

Booked: Clampin (25), Sweeney (53)

Referee: Calum Scott

Attendance: 1,561