I NEED TO APPLY FOR A CLONE!

Jan 23 2005

DUNDEE .............1 HEARTS ..............1

Blankrupt Robbo looks for a mini-me

Gavin Berry At Dens Park

BOSS John Robertson needs to find a carbon copy of himself in his prime if he wants to solve Jambos' striking problems.

The Hearts goal legend again watched in frustration as his hitmen failed to find the killer touch to complement their possession football.

Despite having so much of the ball the Tynecastle side had to rely on a goal from substitute Joe Hamill to ensure even a point after falling behind to Fabian Caballero's first strike since his Dens return.

Robbo would have been forgiven for humming Send in the Clones after another trying 90 minutes and he admitted: 'You can see we're trying to get the ball down and pass it but we need an end product.

'We pass it from back to front really well and now we need to find goal scorers. Everyone's looking for them.

'The only thing to let us down is our play in last third and we have to improve on that.

'Joe went on and scored straight away and we're looking for that from him and the Graham Weirs and Stephen Simmons.

'We dominated the first half possession and had a few early chances through Dennis Wyness but didn't take them.'

The game was short on entertainment and a draw was a fair result, with Dundee having more chances for all Hearts' possession.

Lee Miller was handed his first start for Robbo's side after scoring just three minutes into his debut when he came on as a substitute against Dundee United last week.

The youngster was ineligible for the midweek Scottish Cup tie with Partick Thistle but was recalled in place of Kevin McKenna - the only change from the side who beat Jags.

Opposite number Jim Duffy stuck with the same starting line-up that served him so well seven days before when they beat Inverness Caley at Dens.

Dundee were looking to end a miserable run against the Jambos who had won the sides' four previous meetings.

Wyness showed great determination early on to carve out a chance, first robbing Lee Wilkie of possession then feeding Paul Hartley who was challenged by Stephen McNally The ball broke kindly for Wyness who had continued his run and he charged into the box only to shoot over the bar.

At the other end Caballero sent a curling shot into the arms of Craig Gordon after a good run as he continued his search for the elusive first goal of his second stint at Dundee.

And in 19 minutes it was the home side who went closest in the best chance of the first half after hesitancy in the Jambos rearguard.

Gordon played the ball out to Jamie McAllister on the edge of his box but Neil Barrett ghosted in on his blind side to steal the ball.

And his low drive into the box was met by Tam McManus but the striker's near post shot flew just wide.

Dundee were enjoying plenty of possession and went close again through Caballero, although had he been less selfish the deadlock might have been broken.

Wilkie headed McNally's free-kick down to the South American inside the box but his shot on the turn was weak and went straight to Gordon.

However, Barrett was screaming for the ball on the far side of the penalty area and if Cab had chosen to pass, the midfielder would have had a better chance of scoring.

Despite Duff's men setting up a flurry of attacks Hearts had the greater possession in the first half.

But they were running out of ideas in the final third, underlining again their problems lie up front.

Early in the second half Caballero went close again, his shot taking a string deflection off McAllister and looping over Gordon's head.

However, thankfully for the keeper the ball went over the bar.

But Gordon wasn't so lucky seconds later when the deadlock was finally broken 10 minutes into the second half - with a little help from the Jambos defence.

Caballero started the move with a cross for McManus.

The former Hibs star's attempted lob was pushed into the air by Gordon and as the ball dropped McAllister mis-hit his clearance.

Instead of clearing the ball away he headed across the face of the goal and straight to Caballero.

The Argentinian star stooped to head low into the bottom corner for his first Dundee goal since May, 2003 when he netted against Rangers.

Robertson made a change after going behind, replacing the ineffective Ramon Pereira with Hamill.

And the move paid immediate dividends as the sub equalised.

McAllister made amends for his howler with his part in the goal, his cross finding Miller at the back post.

And when the striker knocked the ball into the six-yard box it was Hamill who pounced to scored.

Dundee should have regained the advantage with 15 minutes left when John Sutton blasted his effort over the bar from inside the box from Wilkie's neat knockdown after a Fotheringham corner.

Hamill went close to a winner with a superb volley that went just over the bar.

Dens boss Duffy said: 'I'm disappointed, although if you'd told me a few weeks ago we'd draw with Hearts I'd have been jumping through hoops.'

ref watch

WILLIE YOUNG dished out bookings to Hearts trio Phil Stamp, Jamie McAllister and Lee Miller. But none could have had any arguments and it was a good display from the whistler. Rating: 7/10.

Taken from the Sunday Mail