Dundee 3-1 Falkirk: Comprehensive victory for Dens Park side

IT MAY be only futile resistance they have left to prevent Ross County winning the First Division title but Dundee again kept them waiting for official confirmation after this win over Falkirk.

Goals from Stephen O’Donnell, Ryan Conroy and Steven Milne rendered Mark Millar’s goal for Falkirk irrelevant and in the process ensured the trophy will stay under wraps for now and further strengthened Dundee’s grip on second place.

After just six minutes Darren Dods should have opened the scoring for the visitors with a header from Millar’s corner kick but blazed over.

And a further six minutes later the Bairns were a goal down, after a failure to properly close down O’Donnell allowed the midfielder to maraud along the 18-yard line before beating Michael McGovern, the Falkirk goalkeeper, with a shot into the top corner.

Rab Douglas, Dundee’s goalkeeper, however, was all too easily beaten for the equaliser on 23 minutes when a speculative Millar effort squirmed under his body.

Dundee regained the lead before the interval after Conroy’s shot hit Dods on the hand, prompting referee Craig Thomson to point to the spot. Conroy converted with aplomb, shooting into McGovern’s bottom right-hand corner.

The decisive third goal came for Dundee on 57 minutes, with fine play between attackers Leighton McIntosh and Milne.

McIntosh, a target for the Old Firm last season, got in behind the visitors’ defence before picking out Milne inside the six-yard box. Although his initial shot was blocked, he was able to flick the rebound over prostrate goalkeeper McGovern.

Dundee could have had a fourth when Milne fed Conroy with a fantastic high, looping cross but his effort hit off the post.