Dundee's promotion dream dashed at Cappielow as draw is not enough.

Greenock 2-2 Dundee: Cappielow, Greenock, Saturday 17th April 2010.

Dundee boss Gordon Chisholm has laid down the gauntlet to his struggling players that their jobs are on the line after a poor 2-2 draw with Greenock Morton. Dundee fell behind in the 41st minute when on loan Hearts player David Witteveen pounced to strike the ball home.  Chisholm changed things at half-time and McMenamin and Shinnie were replaced by Clarke and Higgins as Dundee went in search for the equaliser. Dundee though were dicing with danger as Morton had two good chances to score their second but couldn't find the net. A long ball over the top in the 64th minute  however spread panic in the Dundee defence and when Witteveen was in the box, veteran defender Jim Lauchlan pulled the Hearts loanee and the referee had no choice but to point to the spot. Up stepped Carlo Monti who executed the penalty well and guided Morton to a 2-0 lead. News was filtering through from Inverness that Caley had scored a second goal against Dunfermline and Dundee fans were disheartened as that was probably the league over. On the pitch the lack of fight and guile from the Dark Blues was evident. However in the 67 minute, the Dark Blues got themselves into the match. A throw in found Gary Harkins and he knocked the ball home. Morton 2-1 Dundee. Dundee then began to push and push for the equaliser but nothing was coming off for them. Morton had chances of their own the kill the game off but couldn't take them. Leigh Griffiths began to look more dangerous and he had various chances to bring the sides level but failed to make the most of the chances he had. The spurned chances by the youngster did not pray on his mind however. With 5 minutes remaining, Dundee won a free kick 20 yards from goal. Griffiths was on the touchline recieving some treatment for a knock but quickly gathered his wits together and insisted he take the freekick. He curled the ball into the net beating the keeper. Morton 2-2 Dundee. Dundee kept pushing but couldn't find the winner.

Teams:

Morton: Stewart, McGuffie, Greacen, Shimmin, Reid, Finlayson, Paartalu, Tidser, Monti, Witteveen, Weatherson (Simmons 78).


Subs Not Used: Cuthbert, Graham, MacGregor, Masterton
 
Goals: Witteveen 41, Monti pen 64
 
DUNDEE:Bullock, McKeown, Lauchlan, O'Leary, Paton, Kerr (Cameron 61), Harkins, Shinnie (Higgins 46), Malone, McMenamin (Clarke 46), Griffiths.


Subs Not Used: Soutar, Hart.
 
Goals: Harkins 67, Griffiths 86
 
 
Attendance: 1,998
 
 
An unhappy Gordon Chisholm spoke to the BBC after the match.
 
""Considering what we were playing for, I was really disappointed."The players were told the one thing they would get is a physical game and they didn't handle that. I thought we got bullied. Unbelievably, we weren't up for the fight in the first 45. It wasn't until we went 2-0 down that we thought we better start playing.
But to show that lack of urgency and determination like that in the first half is unacceptable."

 
According to various newspaper reports, Gordon is about to axe at least 10 players come the end of the season who are out of contract. Jim Lauchlan, Tony Bullock and Eddie Malone are all being linked with the exodus.


(Chisholm quotes: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/8624003.stm)