JANUARY SAILS

Jan 24 2005

DUNDEE 1 HEARTS 1

Month to remember for Duffy's men as Dundee hit form at the right time

By Euan Mcarthur

IF Dundee are to avoid relegation they may look back on the month of January as a turning point in their fortunes.

Their New Year began in the worst possible fashion as they lost at Dunfermline to slip to the bottom of the SPL.

But things have improved steadily since and Saturday's draw with Hearts was another indication they have every chance of maintaining their recent revival.

Fabian Caballero scored for the first time since rejoining Jim Duffy's side - - ending a14-game wait - only for substitute Joe Hamill to equalise minutes later.

But that took nothing away from the fact this was the first time Dundee have managed to string together two decent performances on the trot this season.

All of a sudden, the mood around Dens Park is much more optimistic going into the third derby of the season at Tannadice this weekend.

They went into this match at Dens Park buoyed by Lee Wilkie's decision to commit himself to the club for another two-and-a-half years.

Add to that the recent arrival of Tam McManus as well as Caballero beginning to find form and it was no wonder Duffy wore a broad smile at the end.

Steven Robb epitomised the growing spirit by giving the sort of performance that showed why Dundee were so keen to re-sign him.

Playing out of position at left-back, the 22-year-old looked as if he had been playing there all his life as he found time to get forward in a manner which had the home fans on their feet more than once in a lively second half.

Robb is one of host of promising young players Duffy will be relying on between now and the end of the season to safeguard the club's immediate future.

And he's ready to continue their rehabilitation by denying United boss Ian McCall a first derby win when he most needs one.

Robb said: ' We've got a good record against United and the boys will go into the game confident.

'The spirit has been good in training this week - all the boys have been buzzing.

'We're confident we can pull away from relegation.That's us four points ahead of Livingston now and a win this week would be brilliant.

'A win today would have been even better but it was good to put together two decent performances.

'The fact big Lee signed this week as well as myself and Stephen McNally recently means we've got a basis of young Scots.

'I was at Dundee United when I was about 12 or so but they let me go - I think it was because of my size.

'I love playing against them.A lot of my mates are United fans which helps as I love getting into them after the game if we get a good result.'

Hearts arrived on Tayside having struggled to overcome Partick Thistle in their Scottish Cup replay in midweek.

John Robertson's men stuck by their principles to play passing football but all that was missing was a striker to give them the cutting edge.

They just about shaded a first half in which Wilkie lost possession early on to allow Dennis Wyness a brief sight of goal before the Scotland defender redeemed himself.

McManus was looking to add to his goal against Inverness the previous week but his 19th-minute shot from Neil Barrett's cross hit the side netting.

It was Caballero, though, who made the breakthrough in 54 minutes with the sort of goal he's not renowned for.

The move started with McNally crossing to find the head of Caballero inside the box. His downward header allowed McManus to get a shot in on goal which Craig Gordon parried before Jamie McAllister attempted to clear.

But the ball fell kindly for Caballero who stooped to nod into the far corner of the net for his first Dundee goal since netting a brace against Rangers almost two years ago.

The home side hardly had time to settle when Hearts hit back on the hour mark, Joe Hamill on hand to beat keeper Derek Soutar from close range after Lee Miller had knocked down McAllister's cross.

A draw was about right in the end although Dundee missed a glaring chance in 70minutes when John Sutton shot over the bar despite Wilkie setting him up from Mark Fotheringham's corner.

Duffy was delighted not just with Caballero's goal but with the Argentine's overall performance.

He said: 'Fabian is an individual but we've stressed to him the importance of playing for the team. He did that today as shown by the way he tracked back to help out' Meanwhile, Robb has pledged to keep working on his crossing and finishing so he can become as good as his boyhood hero - - Ryan Giggs.

He said: 'Giggs has been my hero since I watched him as a wee boy.

'I feel comfortable at left-back. It's easier to run at people when I'm facing the play and I can get forward just as much.

'It's up to me to work on crossing in training. I get frustrated with myself if I can't produce something I know I'm capable of.'

Robertson said: 'Everyone is looking for goalscorers.We have to improve on our play in the final third.'

MAN OF THE MATCH Steven Robb (Dundee) Dundee - Soutar, McNally, Wilkie, McDonald, Robb, Barrett, Smith, Fotheringham, McManus (Robertson 76), Sutton, Caballero. Subs: Jack, Mann, Larsen, Cerdeira, Clark, Kitamirike.

Hearts - Gordon, Neilson, Webster, Pressley, McAllister, MacFarlane (Simmons 71), Stamp, Hartley, Miller, Wyness (Weir 62), Pereira (Hamill 58). Subs: Moilanen, McKenna, Berra, Stewart.

Referee: W Young.

Moment that changed the game: The introduction of Joe Hamill just a couple of minutes before his 60th-minute leveller proved decisive. On his weaker right foot the sub struck to earn his side a share of the points


Taken from the Daily Record