Dundee 0 - 0 Queen of the South: Queens stay top as they hold Dundee

Published on Saturday 14 November 2009 20:57

Dundee 0 - 0 Queen of the South

DUNDEE'S financial muscle may well have to be flexed in January if they are to pull clear of the pack in the First Division after current leaders Queen of the South contained them superbly in a dire Dens Park draw.

The Dumfries side held their nerve against an off-form Dark Blues side to underline they will be genuine contenders come May. However, any thoughts Dundee may have of cruising their way to the title will be dispelled at their inability to cope without the firepower of Leigh Griffiths, who missed this one to star for Scotland Under-21s.

"We didn't fail to win this game because Leigh wasn't here," insisted Dundee manager Jocky Scott. "We simply didn't do enough. There was poor decision-making and a lack of creativity.

"We went from having numerous chances last week to nothing this week and we have to do more, a lot more, if we want to win the league."

With seven wins from their last nine meetings with the Dark Blues going into this one and top of the league on goal-difference, it appeared the bookmakers were being generous with odds of up to 3-1 for an away success.

The hype that has surrounded Dundee following their summer spending spree hasn't yet been justified but there is little doubting that both these sides will be up there when the prizes are handed out in May. That's why the dreadful start to a game that promised so much on paper was a surprise. Naturally, the strong winds didn't help but perhaps the fear of losing made for a cagey opening half an hour.

Just one shot worthy of note came in that period and it wasn't on target. Colin Cameron, who looked like a throwback to yesteryear with the impressive moustache he's growing to raise awareness for prostate cancer in "Movember", got his laces through the ball with a 25-yard strike that went just over.

However, it was almost 20 minutes before anything remotely interesting happened and even that was a huge let-down. Dundee won a free-kick on the edge of the box and the normally potent Gary Harkins stepped up to release the ball into the stormy skies.

Very few players were impressing in the first period but Dundee youngster Craig Forsyth deserves praise for his constant probing, as does Pat Clarke. And Clarke's hard work nearly paid off on 37 minutes as he jinked past a trio of Doonhamers defenders before drilling the ball wide from 18 yards.

Forsyth then almost scored direct from a wind-assisted corner kick with visiting defender Robert Harris forced to scramble the ball away to safety.

Just before the break, Queens' Willie McLaren stole a yard inside the Dundee box to latch on to a Harris free-kick and send a half-volley just inches wide.

The second period wasn't much better than the first and the only real shining light was Forsyth, who looks a very cultured midfielder. He tried his luck again on the hour mark as he cut in from the left side, only to fire straight into the hands of David Hutton.

Dundee then had a late flurry at goal but aside from a tame header from sub Ritchie Hart, they never looked like unlocking the Queens defence.

"Not many teams will come away from here with anything so I have to be happy with a point," insisted visiting boss Gordon Chisholm. "We're still top of the league but there is a long way to go and I think there will be four or five teams up there at the end. It's going to the wire."