DUNDEE 3-2 PARTICK THISTLE.
A bumper crowd packed Dens Park today and weren't disappointed as Dundee maintained their unbeaten record in the league this season. Two goals from Craig Forsyth and a penalty from Matt Lockwood saw off a plucky Partick side who were reduced to ten men midway through the second half.
It was Dundee's last home game of the season and the weather was outstanding. The Dundee fans arrived in their numbers to Dens Park for a party in the sun and to show their appreciation and support to Barry Smith and the boys.
Partick Thistle started off very brightly and bossed the possesion in the first quarter of the half. But Douglas was only called into action really once in the first half when he superbly saved from a Doolan shot and Grehan's follow up was diverted behind.
At the beginning of the second half, there was an unfortunate clash of players between Bendictus and Grehan with Grehan coming off the worse and he had to be stretchered off to a chorus of warm applause by both Partick Thistle and Dundee fans. Flannigan replaced Grehan but it kind of knocked Partick for six a little and Dundee gradually began to take charge of the game.
Forsyth, Riley and Harkins were the instigators of the Dundee attacks and they all caused Partick big problems in the last third of the pitch. It was Forsyth that opened the scoring for Dundee in the 58th minute when a superb touch and turn from Riley at the edge of the box resulted in a through pass to Forsyth, the young winger drived forward into the box and unleashed an unstoppable shot which beat ex Dundee keeper Scott Fox at his near post and into the back of the net. Cue wild celebrations in the Dundee stands.
Two minutes later and Dundee doubled their advantage. Rab Douglas launched a mammoth throw to Gary Harkins who with a sublime first touch ran down the left flank and crossed a low ball into the box where Forsyth shot only for Fox to save it before Fozzy had a second bite at the cherry and glided the ball home to make it 2-0 Dundee.
Dundee were cruising here and Partick looked punch drunk. A couple of minutes after the second goal, Dundee nearly had a third when Rennie had a diving header superbly saved from Fox.
The 68th minute saw Dundee's defence switch off and that resulted in Stewart scoring for the Jags with a well placed shot past Douglas and into the bottom left corner after a fine run.
However before Partick could get a grip on the game, Dundee scored their third, courtesy of a Matt Lockwood penalty. Craig Forsyth was homing in on goal when he was fouled clumsily by Kinniburgh and the referee had no hesitation but to point to the spot and to also order Kinniburgh off the park. Lockwood slammed the resulting penalty into the net and cue wild celebrations from the Dens faithful once again.
Forsyth, who was named Man of the Match, should have completed his hatrick in the dying embers of the game but he headed a Rennie cross just inches over the bar.
Thistle managed to grab another goal deep into stoppage time when again Dundee went to sleep and that resulted in Doolan turning the ball home at the near post from close range.
Dundee saw the remainder of the game out rather comfortably and the game ended 3-2.
What a superb achievement from the players and to go through a season at home undefeated in the league is no mean feat either. The players went down the tunnel before coming back onto the pitch to take the acclaim of the Dundee fans who got the party started. It was emotional scenes as the players and fans both showed their appreciation and I am sure there was a lot of lumps in the throats of all Dundee supporters that day as the Dees signed off their home campaign with a fine win in the sun.
Well done the Dees, oh so proud of you all,
Douglas
Benedictus, McKeown, Weston, Lockwood
Rennie, O’Donnell, Irvine
Harkins
Riley (Tulleth 86)
Unused subs: Gibson (gk), Bartlett, Webster, Carnegie
Goals; Forsyth 58, 60; Lockwood (pen) 70
Bookings: none.
Partick Thistle FC
Fox
Kinniburgh, Archibald, Balatoni, Boyle
Campbell (Fraser 67), Cairney, Erskine, Stewart (Lochead 80)
Doolan, Grehan (Flannigan 50)
Unused subs: Scully (gk), McGrotty
Goals: Stewart 68, Doolan 93
Bookings: Lochead (foul on Harkins)
Sent off: Kinniburgh (denying Forsyth goal-scoring opportunity)
Attendance: 7,746
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