Dundee 2 Airdrie 1, Dens Park, 01/April/07

Dundee put behind them a desperate first-half performance to notch their first win in four games, to say the Dark Blues were awful in the opening 45 minutes would be an understatement.But they improved sufficiently to edge out spirited Airdrie in an end-to-end second period.Dundee claimed the spoils thanks to Dyron Daal—who had enough clear-cut chances to have mustered a five-goal haul—netting twice.While that was rough on the relegation-threatened Diamonds, whose showing was worthy of the point that would have left them shy of the play-off spot only on goal difference.Airdrie’s 17th minute opener was a personal disaster for Gary McKenzie. The Dens skipper was caught in possession 25 yards out by Ian Harty and failed to react to the situation, leaving Harty to bear down on Ludovic Roy and net with a composed finish.Taking the lead was no more than the Diamonds deserved. Before netting, Harty had brought a decent save out of Ludovic Roy and David Proctor was thwarted by a timely McKenzie challenge.And they could easily have stretched that advantage with Roy having to claw a Gary Twigg shot round his post.Dundee levelled on 27 minutes, completely against the run of play, when Daal headed home Rae’s cross.Airdrie remained on top, though, and both Harty and Graeme Holmes should have done far better than blaze the ball over from terrific positions.In the early stages of the second half Stuart Taylor evaded the attentions of McKenzie to meet a Steven McDougall cross, but from a tight angle couldn’t put his header away from Roy.Dundee had an opportunity to steal a lead shortly after that when Daal found himself clean through, but he shot straight at Stephen Robertson.McKenzie’s day very nearly went from bad to worse when a Holmes cut-back rebounded off him and was destined to find his own net until Roy came to the rescue.On 56 minutes Dundee edged in front from their first corner of the game, Bob Davidson heading Gavin Swankie’s delivery back across goal for Daal to nod in.And the Dutchman could easily have added to his tally—completely missing the ball after a Smyth mistake allowed Gates’ cross to find him unmarked, then once again shooting straight at Robertson.Airdrie, who’d been denied a penalty when Gary Smith clearly shoved Taylor inside the area, had become decidedly fragile at the back.Going forward, though, they remained a real threat. Substitute Stephen McKeown might have levelled after being picked out by Twigg, but his finish failed to trouble Roy.A Twigg effort with 11 minutes remaining did test the goalie, but he responded by making a terrific save. Despite his side laying siege to the home goal in the closing minutes and being harshly treated by the outcome, Diamonds manager Kenny Black felt the defeat had been largely self-inflicted.Daal and Paul McHale were booked along with Airdrie’s Smyth, Taylor and Neil McGowan. A good three point for us but we made hard work of it. Lets hope we can win the last four game to set up next season.