Dundee 4-1 Livingston: Loans pay off handsomely for Dundee

Published on Saturday 21 February 2009 18:45

Dundee 4 Shinnie 48; Efrem 55; Antoine-Curier 68, 79 Livingston 1 De Vita 90

JOCKY Scott, the Dundee manager, has exploited the old pals network expertly to get his team back in the First Division title race. His request to long-time friend Walter Smith for a loan of Giorgos Efrem and Andrew Shinnie has paid dividends, as the pair scored yesterday to move the Dark Blues up the table. Dundee, who also had Mickael Antoine-Curier on the scoresheet twice, have made great inroads in recent weeks and with a trip to Perth scheduled for Saturday the title race could yet hot up even more.

It could all have been so different, though, as Dundee initially found it difficult to deal with striker Armand One, and were fortunate he could not match his play with goals, missing three great chances in the first half.

Livingston were left to rue those misses after the interval, as Dundee took an unlikely but spectacular lead. The visitors surrendered possession to Shinnie mid-way in Dundee's half, allowing him to run fully 50 yards before slamming a shot into the top corner.

Then, on 55 minutes, Efrem sprung the offside trap before rolling the ball into the bottom corner. Antoine-Curier sealed the game for Dundee on 69 minutes with a superb turn and shot inside the box. He added another on 79 minutes following some shambolic defending from the visitors.

Substitute Raffaele De Vita scored with the final kick of the ball but it would have brought no consolation for Livingston.