McGowan goal livens drab Dens tussle

IAN PAUL

4 Feb 1993

Dundee 1, Hearts 0

DUNDEE earned a much needed and deserved win but, without disrespect to their worthy toilers, mediocrity was the name of the game at Dens Park.

The quality of play was well below standard, even in the current, ordinary premier division and Hearts have only themselves to blame for losing their first goal of the year.

Scarcely a creative move punctuated the boredom and for 70 minutes it didn't seem as if there would be a goal either.

However, Jamie McGowan did the trick but it is to be hoped the fare will be much improved when these two meet in the cup at Tynecastle on Saturday.

Aided by the strong wind, Dundee at first threatened to inflict great damage to Nicky Walker's pride.

In fact, within the opening six minutes they had made as many surging raids on the Hearts goal.

But in only two of these did they offer serious danger and, in each case, McGowan was the man who came close.

His first attempt was a weak shot which Walker handled easily enough.

He then produced a much better effort, a powerful strike which bent towards goal, and although Walker stopped it, he needed two tries to grasp the ball.

Oddly enough, after their early promise, Dundee began to mess about in midfield in contrast to their original and potentially useful tactic of harnessing the wind.

Consequently, Hearts were able to haul themselves out of their area and, even if they created very little in the way of chances they at least dulled the Dens initiative.

Duffy almost let them in with a mis-hit passback but Mathers was alert to the danger and picked up the ball before Robertson could reach it.

Back came Dundee and Dodds had a chance when a long throw-in was headed into the penalty area, but his close-in shot was blocked by a defender.

Dodds had another try early in the second half but he was a little off target.

Still, it was more than Hearts had offered at any point to date.

In 60 minutes Dundee put on Colin West for Ritchie and 10 minutes later they finally broke the deadlock.

Dodds, inevitably, was involved.

He made ground down the left and when his low cross arrived, McGowan was there to knock it home.

Hearts then brought on Ian Ferguson for Preston and the new man should have equalised a couple of minutes later when he was clean through with only Mathers to beat.

However, he shot wildly over the bar.

DUNDEE -- Mathers, McQuillan, Pittman, Bain, Duffy, McGowan, Ritchie, Vrto, Patterson, Dodds, McKeown.

Substitutes -- Kiwomya, West.

HEARTS -- Walker, McLaren, Snodin, Hogg, Mackay, Van de Ven, Robertson, D Ferguson, Baird, Millar, Preston.

Substitutes -- I Ferguson, Berry.

Referee -- L Mottram (Forth).

Taken from the Herald