Dundee withstood everything Falkirk could throw at them over 90 minutes to come away with the spoils in extra time and send their rapturous fans heading Hampden way in the major cup for the first time in 16 years. A Semi-Final place means everything to Dundee. After 3 seasons of watching flair, ingenuity and at times sheer brilliance on the park, only to gain the title of the underachievers of the SPL, we are one game away from the glory of a Scottish Cup Final. Financially, from the Marrs point of view, this is a coup that could bring in much needed hard cash. For the punter on the terracing a long awaited taste of success and a glimpse of the Promised Land that has so often eluded us.
I don’t believe Falkirk are capable of playing any better than they did in this match. They play a very Scottish kind of game, nothing flashy, little flair or individual class players. But they hassled, harried, fought for every ball as if their very lives were at stake. The result of this was that Dundee’s so often neat passing game was torn asunder and midway through the first half it became obvious that it would take much more than flair and class to win this one. But to their credit every man in dark blue rose to the occasion and when it became a slogging match they stood toe to toe and matched Falkirk in that department also. It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t entertaining, but it was horses for courses and the best we could muster on the night.
Dundee could have taken the lead as early as the opening minute, Stevie Milne reading a pass back and almost slotting the ball past the keeper who made a fine save. Nacho Novo, following up, sees his shot brilliantly blocked for a corner. It always looks easy when watching on TV later. If only the wee man had controlled the ball first, every Falkirk player was heading to the goal line and he might have picked his spot, so a good chance passed by.
Novo almost hands Falkirk the lead at the other end, getting caught in possession by Jamie McQuilkan. The ball breaks kindly for Falkirk and when McQuilkan continues his forward run he is fed with a perfectly weighted pass from Coyle. Julian Speroni makes the save look oh, so easy, standing tall to block the ball with his chest with Novo doing enough to track back and put the Falkirk player off as he prepared to shoot.
Dundee were being knocked off their stride by the tenacious, fighting qualities of Falkirk, and the pressure of being favourites, an unusual mantle for the Dens men, was taking its toll on the usually crisp passing style. The long balls, the tight marking, the hustle and bustle of the First Division side was upsetting their game plan to great effect.
Stuart Taylor is given a clear view of goal after a slick move down the right but hardly troubles Speroni with a shot that goes straight into his arms at the near post.
Another chance and a flashing header from a corner is well saved by Speroni with Rae behind the shot in case the ball passed the Dens Park keeper.
In an all too common moment of madness Dundee almost gift Falkirk the lead. Lee Wilkie, in control, no real pressure on him, mishits his pass straight into the path of Lee Miller whose first time shot is brilliantly tipped over the bar by the busy Speroni. These are worrying moments for Dundee and it was felt that they’d have to live through this period if they are to go on to reach their dream of a Cup Semi-Final spot.
When Caballero looks to be away on a strong run a very careless challenge by Taylor earns the Falkirk player a yellow card, deservedly so. It was a dangerous tackle to say the least.
Dundee should have taken the lead midway through the half. A good ball from the right by Dave Mackay is superbly dummied by Milne for Caballero who just rolled the ball into the path of the inrushing Mackay once more. His first touch lets him down, he overruns the ball then tries to curl it into the top corner with his weaker left foot only to miss the target by several yards. With Cab and Milne in good positions a tap into their path might have been more productive.
Dundee pay for this miss dearly at the other end by going behind to a superbly taken effort by Falkirk.
A foul against Gavin Rae for barging into his man is taken quickly down the left and when McQuilkan fires in a left footed cross the ball is partially cleared by Mair but only as far as STUART TAYLOR and his first time rocket curls over the top of Speroni into the right hand corner of the net. A sensational goal, worthy of winning any game.
The First Division side ahead, Dundee not at the races apart from one or two counter attacks, we have game on now. With the unbeaten run of 11 matches in jeopardy, the Dark Blue faithful looked to see what answers their troops had to this Falkirk onslaught. Never would the passion, the fighting qualities and the self belief instilled in this team by Jim Duffy be more severely put to the test. From a Falkirk point of view here was a chance to show they had the qualities it takes to make the SPL standard. Could they keep the pressure on and add to their lead, thus putting the game beyond Dundee?
A jinking move by Giorgi Nemsadze, a cross for Stevie Milne, a shot easily saved by Ferguson in goal. Falkirk are now packing their defence and relying on long balls out to set them on the attack. But there are clear signs the Dark Blues are creeping back into the game. A Caballero cross from the right eludes two Dundee attackers who appear to be jostled to the ground by Miller but the Ref waves play on.
Lee Miller becomes the second Falkirk player to be booked, bringing down Fabian Caballero who looked to be on a strong run deep in the opposition half.
Then, out of nothing, Dundee contrive to score a magnificent equaliser. A 1-2 between Dave Mackay and Caballero sees the full back cross hard and low. Novo tries to connect but the ball is scurried away from his feet. But only as far as FABIAN CABALLERO. His back to the goal, he turns on a tanner towards the right. With 3 red jerseys confronting him he continues towards the right with the ball under perfect control. Then, from the most impossible of angles suddenly he unleashes a rocket towards the far corner of the net and Ferguson can only watch in despair as the Argentinian’s shot thunders past him. 1-1. What grace, what artistry, what lethal finishing. With a minute of the first half remaining Dundee had struck back and this goal gave hope when perhaps hope was beginning to fade among their nail biting fans.
The second half did not live up to the excitement of the first. Falkirk’s domination of the game was over and but for the odd move hardly threatened Speroni the entire half. The same could be said of Dundee, only very late in the match was Ferguson called upon to save his side at the death. Sorry passing and moves breaking down was the story of the second period for both teams as the pressures of a Cup Semi reward took it’s toll.
A Rae shot is deflected for a corner. A Wilkie header flashes harmlessly over the bar. Coyle completely miskicks when in a good scoring position.
When Samuel replaced Coyle midway through the half most Dundee fans would admit to feeling some dread at the sight of the guy who had destroyed Hearts entering the fray. With the cup tie there for the taking could he be the one to unlock the door to glory?
Dundee replaced Novo and Milne with Lovell and Burchill. Again, the questions? Could either of this pair have the ingenuity to throw caution to the wind and take their side on to greater glories? Football is a game of opportunity. He who dares wins, to the victor the spoils, cliches that could sum up anyone capable of entering the field and taking their team onto victory. This game cried out for a bit of individual genius to blow it wide open.
Lee Miller heads tamely over the bar from a good position inside the box. Lee Mair appears to be fouled on the edge of his own box but the Ref waves play on and from the resultant melee Mark Kerr has the chance to win the game for Falkirk but his right foot effort curls well wide of the post.
Right at the death Dundee almost snatch it in injury time. A strong run by Rae, a dangerous cross by Mackay, a mix up between two Falkirk defenders and Stevie Lovell is close to finishing the game. The ball is palmed away by Ferguson only as far as Mark Burchill whose first time effort is blocked heroically on the line by John Hughes.
And so it went on into extra time. What would be going through the minds of both teams? Dundee, so close to being out, but still in there and almost winning the game in the dying seconds. Falkirk, who had battled so bravely, giving very little away at the back and using the long ball tactic to great effect. It looked like we might go all the way to penalties, there had been so little between the sides over 90 minutes.
But as so often happens in football the team looking so well organised and seemingly in control, playing out of their skins and looking very good, seemed to freeze at the vital moment. This cost them a Cup Semi-Final place.
First, a harmless looking shot by Stevie Lovell straight into the arms of Ferguson.
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Then Samuel is caught well offsides. From the resultant free kick Dundee take the lead amidst scenes of great joy. A long ball from inside his own half by Hernandes seems easy meat for the Falkirk defence. But they leave it for the Goalkeeper. Problem was no one told Ferguson and by the time he realised the danger MARK BURCHILL had streaked onto the dropping ball and superbly chipped over the top of the outrushing keeper to give Dundee a killer 2nd goal. For the second time in 3 days the ex Celtic striker had paved the way to glory for his side.
The floodgates are opened now. The pressure off Dundee, they begin to control the game and the passing is fluent once more as they walk all over Falkirk for the remainder of the extra time period. Hernandez battles bravely to keep possession down the left before sliding the ball out to Burchill. His perfectly weighted pass finds STEVE LOVELL inside the box but at an acute angle to the goal. The first touch is excellent and he fires the ball in off the goalkeeper to give his side an unassailable 3-1 lead. The two Dundee subs are running riot.
Mark Kerr is deservedly sent off for yet another dangerous tackle on Fabian Caballero, his second of the match and Referee Rowbothom has no options other than to show red. Down to 10 men, 3-1 down, Falkirk are fading fast as extra time progresses.
Steve Lovell |
Lee Mair stops Samuel in his tracks with a great tackle. Passes to Smith who evades two tackles to retain possession for Dundee. Finds Burchill, who sidesteps his man and races towards the Falkirk goal. Passes to Caballero who picks out STEVE LOVELL on the edge of the box with pin point precision. A jink inside his man, a stunning chip, perfection itself, and Dundee are strolling 4-1. The 21 year old from Amersham, England, had grabbed the glory in magnificent style.
The remainder of the game sees Dundee showboating, keeping possession and retaining their energy for the next game to come. With Dundee fans chanting for their heroes, name by name, to give them a wave, which, to their delight, the players did, Duffy as well, a game that could have eluded the Dens Parkers culminated in a sea of rapturous joy.
I fear another 90 minutes of similar tension against Inverness on April 20th. But be that as it may this Dundee side have proved they can battle with the best of them when they have to. Getting to Hampden once has been quite an achievement. Getting there twice and into the Final would be close to touching the face of Heaven. 2003, the Year of Dundee? It has a prophetic ring to it. BRING THEM ON!