Dundee lined up without striker Mickael Antoine-Curier, who injured his ankle during Sunday’s defeat by Wolves, so that meant a starting slot for Bryan Deasley. The Dark Blues fell behind early when Conlon out-muscled the home defence with ease to head home Paul McLaren’s corner. Only a super saving tackle from Gary MacKenzie on 18 minutes stopped Kyle Nix from bursting the net as the Bantams put the pressure on. There was concern over trialist midfielder Makhtar N’Diaye just before the half-hour mark, when he came off the park clutching his arm. He had to be replaced by Paul McHale and later went to hospital for an X-ray. The Dark Blues came closest to getting a goal back when the lively Deasley played the ball across goal but it was just a few inches beyond Colin McMenamin. Bradford suffered a blow six minutes before half-time when McLaren was stretchered off with what appeared to be a serious leg injury after trying to block a clearance from Dundee’s Eric Paton. Stuart McCall’s men made a change at half-time, with the exotically-named Willy Topp replacing Chris Brandon. The Dark Blues nearly fell further behind on 55 minutes when sub Bullock found space inside the box but home keeper Robert Douglas saved well. Two minutes later, Colin Cameron had his strike blocked by full-back Paul Arnison after Deasley had a claim for a penalty turned down. Jim Lauchlan did well to stop Conlon in his tracks, before McMenamin could only bundle the ball past the post following a good cross from Mark Gilhaney. Gilhaney seemed the likeliest source for a breakthrough and from his cut-back in 76 minutes McHale shot just over. A great reverse pass from McMenamin then released Gilhaney only for his cross to just miss Cameron’s outstretched boot. The Dark Blues had the ball in the net two minutes later but MacKenzie was correctly ruled to be in an offside position as he converted a mis-hit shot from Cameron.
Attendance—1239.
Dundee—Douglas, Cowan (O’Brien 70), Malone (Forsyth 70), Cameron, MacKenzie, Lauchlan, Paton, N’Diaye (McHale 28), McMenamin (Mearns 81), Deasley, Gilhaney. Subs not used—Roy.
