DUNDEE put their recent first division difficulties behind them last night to claim the scalp of SPL Motherwell and set up a Scottish Cup quarter-final meeting with Queen of the South next month. The Dark Blues headed for Fir Park with just one win—a defeat of Highland League Huntly in the last round—to their credit this year, a run that has left them seven points adrift of leaders Hamilton in the title race. But goals from Paul McHale and Scott Robertson and a smashing second-half performance saw off the Steelmen and sent Alex Rae’s side into the last eight. Dundee’s evening was marred, though, by the late dismissals of Kevin McDonald and Gary MacKenzie, both for double yellow cards. McDonald was hard done by, but MacKenzie could have no complaints. The Scotland under-21 midfielder walked eight minutes from time for catching Stephen Hughes, having earlier picked up a soft looking caution, and MacKenzie followed five minutes later. Having already been booked for a clash with Motherwell keeper Graeme Smith, MacKenzie lunged in on Stephen Craigan, leaving referee Eddie Smith with no real option but to send him packing. Rae had made three changes to his starting line-up following the weekend draw with Livingston, drafting in Swankie, Derek Lyle and Bob Davidson for David O’Brien and ineligible pair Colin McMenamin and Mickael Antoine-Curier. But goalkeeper Ludovic Roy featured despite his wife having given birth to son Oliver—the couple’s second child—earlier in the day. When the first half fell miles short of a classic it seemed justified to blame a surface which had led to the tie being postponed on two occasions. Despite extensive remedial work the park, around 20% of which had been relaid, was in rather desperate condition and all too often promising moves broke down through misplaced passes or players simply losing control of the ball. But after Dundee lit the blue touch paper by scoring early in the second period these two proceeded to ignore the difficult underfoot conditions and produce a rip-roaring cup-tie. Motherwell had looked the more likely side to score in that untidy first half but their best chance fell to Steven McGarry who, having nicked the ball off David Cowan inside the box, passed up the opportunity by having a fresh air swipe. Dundee put a lot of effort into the opening period without ever threatening to score. Within four minutes of the restart, however, they’d broken the deadlock. Roy’s goal-kick was controlled just inside the Well half by Davidson before he released Swankie on the left hand side. Swankie sprinted to the bye-line and fired in a cross that Graeme Smith spilled into the path of McHale. The former Rangers midfielder took a touch and steadied himself before firing into the roof of the net from 10 yards. And six minutes later it was 2-0 as Lyle failed to connect with a McDonald cross at the near post but Robertson arrived to slot the ball into the empty net. Following the introduction of Darren Smith and Simon Lappin, Motherwell hit back. Lappin, sliding in at the far post, narrowly failed to connect with a David Clarkson cross before, on 61 minutes, Smith bulleted in a header from Steven Hammell’s corner to reduce the deficit. Dundee should have dampened home spirits when Smith miscued a clearance straight to Davidson only for the recalled front man to lash the ball high over the crossbar. Being reduced to nine men ensured Dundee spent the remainder of regulation time and five additional minutes firmly on the back foot, but when a misdirected Paul Dixon header looked like producing an own goal Roy responded with a fantastic tip-over save. Apart from red-carding McDonald and MacKenzie, referee Smith booked Motherwell’s Smith (for his part in the bust up with MacKenzie) and Craigan, along with Milan Palenik and Eddie Malone. A vintage performance from the Dark Blues....
