Mcpake furious at Dee’s collapse in closing minutes
DUNDEE 3 Adam (35), Sow (51), Fontaine (70) DUNFERMLINE 3 Watson (78), Mcmanus (pen. 82, 90+3)
Dundee boss James Mcpake says he is “disgusted” at his side after their late collapse against Dunfermline.
The Dark Blues were leading 3-0 with 12 minutes remaining at Dens Park thanks to goals from Charlie Adam, Osman Sow and
Liam Fontaine.
However, they capitulated, allowing the Pars to score three times in the closing stages through Paul Watson and a penalty and a free-kick from Declan Mcmanus.
“I’m disgusted with the last 12 minutes,” Mcpake said.
“We were so dominant and 3-0 up against a team who have been really good this season and made them look very ordinary.
“That feels like one of the worst defeats I’ve ever had – and it’s not even a defeat.
“I’m devastated. It was three individual errors which cost us three goals and full points in the end.”
The Dee dominated first-half proceedings, with the surface underfoot heavy, keeping Pars stopper Owain Fon Williams on his toes.
The Pars’ first chance fell for Mcmanus but it was a comfortable save for Jack Hamilton.
Mcpake will have been pleased with the attacking verve of his troops, evident in the end-to-end run from Christie Elliott, who called Fon Williams into action.
Adam fired in a warning shot that trundled past the post shortly before an Elliott error allowed Kyle Turner to have the Pars’ best chance of the
opening period. An outstretched Hamilton tipped the midfielder’s effort wide as the match threatened to swing in the visitors’ favour.
That was until they afforded Adam too much space in the middle of the park – and the former Liverpool star didn’t need asking twice to unleash from range.
From fully 35 yards, he obliged, crashing a stunning left-foot effort into the top corner.
It was Adam’s fifth of the campaign and a sure-fire contender for Goal of the Season.
Six minutes after the restart Sow made no mistake with his head as he latched on to Adam’s free-kick to glance them into a two-goal lead.
Stevie Crawford brought on Kevin O’hara for Dom Thomas to try to find a way back into the match that almost paid off.
Just after the hour mark, referee Grant Irvine made a big call in denying Dunfermline a penalty after O’hara went down in the box with Sow close by.
Fontaine looked to have put the contest out of reach for the visitors as he tucked away from an Adam corner with 20 minutes remaining.
However, Watson pulled one back with a placed header from a corner on 78 minutes.
Four minutes later, Irvine did give the Pars a penalty after Lewis Mccann was brought down by Lee Ashcroft.
Mcmanus stepped up and arrowed into the corner from 12 yards to make it game on and, with the last kick, the Pars forward curled home a freekick from 25 yards to complete the turnaround.
The result leaves Dundee languishing in seventh in the Championship table while Dunfermline remain in second spot.