Dundee goal blitz stops Lions’ roar

Feb 26 2009 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

DUNDEE’S Loan Rangers blew a massive hole in Livingston's title aspirations with a stunning second half demolition at Dens Park.

Andrew Shinnie and Giorgios Efrem, both on loan from Glasgow Rangers, netted at the start of the second period before a Mickael Antoine-Curier brace put the hosts on easy street.

A last gasp effort from substitute Rafaelle De Vita was scant consolation for a Livi side who could and perhaps should have had the points in the bag by the break.

French striker Armand One was the villain of the piece for the Lions as he missed a hat-trick of glorious opportunities.

And they were left to rue these missed chances after the break as Dundee roared back into the title race.

With leaders St Johnstone being held to a draw again, their eighth in the past 11 matches, it was a great chance for Livi to claw back the difference but they wasted their first half dominance.

One missed a chance after just two minutes while only a matter of feet denied Livi a freak lead six minutes later and spared Rab Douglas’ blushes.

The Dee keeper’s attempted clearance smacked off Leigh Griffiths’ face and rolled narrowly past the post.

It was all one-way traffic in the first half with Livi firmly in the driving seat. The next chance of the game again fell to One as a Murray Davidson drive struck the inside of the post and rolled six yards out to the striker.

Douglas was beaten but the towering striker failed to get anything behind the ball and it was easily cleared by the covering Craig McKeown.

One had another chance before the interval when a Griffiths cross found him unmarked in front of goal but his first touch was heavy and the chance was quickly cleared.

Despite the missed chances it had been an encouraging first period for the travelling Lions and boss Paul Hegarty would have been quietly confident his side could have conjured up a winner.

But across the hall in the home dressing room the Dark Blues were regrouping and emerged a team reborn.

They had the lead within three minutes when Shinnie raced unchallenged almost 40 yards before unleashing a stunning drive into the top corner.

Just seven minutes later the lead was doubled when Efrem joined his fellow Murray Park graduate on the scoresheet firing home from 12 yards.

Chris Innes tried to spark a Livingston fightback with an overhead kick which was tipped wide but Dundee killed the game off shortly afterwards.

Curier, who scored at Almondvale just a fortnight ago, swivelled and rifled home on 68 minutes.

He then doubled his tally 10 minutes from the end when he latched onto a McKeown pass to net Dundee’s fourth of the afternoon.

Livingston sub De Vita grabbed his first goal for the club in the final minute by pouncing on a missed clearance from Douglas but it was too late too late for the Lions who were lacking teeth on a bad day at the office.

Dundee manager Jocky Scott was thrilled with the win and with his side still to play St Johnstone twice he admits their title ambitions are alive and well.

He said: “We've got to play them twice and we're six points behind, so you don't have to be a mathematician to work out the permutations.

“We can do something about it now, we no longer need other people to help us.”

Livingston: McKenzie, Mackay, Innes, Griffin, Talbot, McParland, Davidson (Jacobs 71), Hamill, Griffiths, Winters (Halliday 71), One (De Vita 53).