Ross County 0 - 1 Dundee: Harkins fires Dundee back to the First Division summit

Published on Tuesday 1 December 2009 23:27

GARY Harkins repaid more of his whopping six-figure summer transfer fee with a winning goal in Dingwall that hoisted Dundee to the First Division summit.

The 68th-minute header was a cruel blow to a Ross County side who had held the upper hand through much of the game while failing to show the killer instinct to capitalise.

Dundee took an early grip on possession, but County were sharp on the break and began to take charge. After just three minutes, Brian Kerr's slack pass allowed Richard Brittain to tear forward and test Rab Douglas down low. Douglas did superbly three minutes later to react quickly and clear as Paul Di Giacomo was threaded clear.

Richie Hart caused the first tremors at the other end with a dangerous cross that Michael McGovern punched to safety. But the best early Dundee move saw Leigh Griffiths cut in from the right, slicing between Scott Morrison and Iain Vigurs before flashing a shot just beyond the far post. Among several good saves, he produced the slenderest of touches as Gardyne wound past two tackles outside the box and shot. A rare Dundee threat on half-time saw Eric Paton blast over from six yards from Harkins' corner.

Early in the second half, only the final pass let the hosts down on several occasions with Dundee increasingly on the back foot.

But for all the Dens side's toothless-ness and County's dominance, the hosts went behind to the most straightforward of goals after 68 minutes. Craig Forsyth sent a swerving corner in from the right and Harkins was able to outleap everybody outside the six-yard box to nod the opener.

County looked deflated for a spell but with 12 minutes remaining Paul Lawson's long-range strike had to be clutched by Douglas low at his right-hand post.

Ross County: McGovern, Miller, Morrison, Kettlewell (Wood 84), Boyd, Keddie, Gardyne, Lawson, Di Giacomo (Craig 68), Brittain, Vigurs (Scott 77). Subs not used: Malin, Moore. Booked: Brittain, Lawson, Craig.

Dundee: Douglas, Paton, Malone, Kerr, MacKenzie, Lauchlan, Forsyth, Hart (Young 84), Griffiths (Clarke 84), McMenamin, Harkins. Subs not used: Soutar, Benedictus, Cameron. Booked: Griffiths, Lauchlan, Hart.

Referee: S Nicholls. Att: 2,005.