JOCKY SCOTT was greeted like a returning hero when he walked out at Dens Park for his third spell as manager yesterday but Airdrie prevented the veteran manager from a fairytale start to this latest chapter of his career. A goal from Simon Lynch after 11 minutes gave the Diamonds the lead and they could have scored another four had it not been for striker Paul Di Giacomo's series of misses. But they could not manage to get the ball into the net and a half-time chat from manager Scott pumped Dundee up for the second half, a 45 minutes in which they showed battling qualities sorely lacking in recent weeks. Mickael Antoine-Curier grabbed the equaliser on 66 minutes, showing his new boss that there is something to work with at Dens. Scott pulled a few pre-match selection surprises. Kyle Benedictus, a 16-year-old defender, was drafted in from the youth set-up while ex-Hearts player Eddie Mearns came in for his first start. Bryan Deasley was also given a rare start in attack alongside Antoine-Curier. Benedictus was lucky that his first stint in top-team football was not marred by conceding a penalty kick after just four minutes when, having misjudged a bounce, he appeared to bundle into the back of Lynch inside the box. With even Dundee's players expecting referee Chris Boyle to award a penalty kick, the official awarded a free-kick the other way. Dundee were equally fortunate on nine minutes when a cross which evaded Rab Douglas cracked off the bar but fell perfectly for Di Giacomo. A goal looked a certainty but he somehow nodded over from two yards. Dundee's luck did not hold, though, and they eventually fell behind on 11 minutes to a stunning goal from Lynch. The Dark Blues failed to clear their lines, allowing a cross from the left to reach the striker at the back post and he dispatched a sensational half-volley into the top corner from 10 yards. Scott's side almost equalised on 25 minutes when, following Darren Williams' header into the box, Craig McKeown looked to have beaten Stephen Robertson but the keeper plucked the ball away with one hand. The danger was not averted, though, as it trundled out to Antoine-Curier who, in turn, poked it back in but just as the ball looked set to squirm over the line, Airdrie's defence managed to boot clear. Airdrie should have punished Dundee just before the interval when a neat interchange between Lynch and Di Giacomo gave the latter a sight of goal at the back post. However, he snatched at his effort, with McKeown bearing down on him, sending it flashing past the post. Lynch forced Douglas into a save only 60 seconds later, playing on the shoulder of Benedictus before trying to lob the keeper but he got a hand to it. Dundee should have made more of a dead ball on the edge of the area, after Kevin McDonald fouled Mearns, but Eddie Malone slapped the free-kick off the defensive wall. Mearns set up a great chance for Antoine-Curier on 60 minutes but the striker couldn't edge in ahead of a defender to meet the cross. He atoned for that on 66 minutes, though, as Dundee ground out the equaliser. A header into the penalty area from McKeown was intelligently left by Deasley and it ran through for Antoine-Curier, who lashed a shot beyond Robertson. The striker had another chance at the end but could not beat Robertson to Mearns' through ball and watched the keeper gobble the ball up.Dundee: Douglas, Posniak, Malone, McKeown, Benedictus, Williams, Daquin (Davidson 78), Mearns, Antoine-Curier, Deasley (Gilhaney 79), O'Brien. Subs Not Used: Roy, Lauchlan, Manzie.
Att: 3,456
Ref: C Boyle
A good start for Jocky Scott, A much better second half performance with Dunfermline, Queen of the South and St.Johnstone in the next 3 games, it will make or break our season.
