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 Dundee managed to win a trophy with a fine performance (eventually) at McDiarmid Park today running out 3-2 winners after coming back from the dead in the second half. There is five points difference in the league between the two sides in Dundee's favour and it showed as their determination to pick up the silverware to underline their superiority was there for all to see in the second half.
Dundee fans were optimistic at the start and they were making all the noise as Leigh Griffiths took the early initiative on behalf of the Dark Blues. The Under 21 starlet sent in a dangerous cross in 2 minutes which was headed behind by Golabek for a corner. ICT's first chance was 90 seconds later when Foran stretched to a Hayes cross to fire into the side netting. The first quarter saw both sides equal but the Jags took the lead in 20 minutes as Dubliner Hayes continued to run riot down the right. His inch perfect cross found Rooney inside the six yard box and ICT took the lead in their third Challenge Cup Final. So far it was one lost and one won.
Failure to clear a Jags corner saw Dundee fall 2-0 behind in 33 minutes. Latvian Bulivitis got the final touch as several Dundee players failed to clear their lines and by that time the Highlanders were well in control of this match.
Half Time: ICT 2 Dundee 0
And so it became the proverbial game of two halves. Dundee energised by Jocky Scott and his flying Tea Cups ? The Dark Blues emerged after the break a different side and it was 2-1 when a cross from Harkins was credited to Bulivitis as an OG [48].
52 mins and it was 2-2 when Sean Higgins equalised for Dundee and now the tide had turned completely in favour of Tayside.
Leigh Griffiths continued to be a thorn in the side of ICT and ran at their defence all day and could well have got himself on the scoresheet before the winner in the 83rd minute from a Craig Forsyth shot. Unfortunate sub Imrie got himself sent off as he hauled back a Dundee player with just a couple of minutes left and the jubilant Dens Parkers almost got a fourth before the end thanks to fast counter-attacking and corners forced against a Caley side who must still be wondering how they lost this one. A black day on Tayside turned to a Dark Blue one all in the space of 45 minutes.
 
Full Time: ICT 2 Dundee 3
Dundee: Douglas, Paton (Benedicts), Malone, Kerr, MacKenzie, Lauchlan, Forsyth, Hart, Griffiths (Clarke), Higgins (McMenamin), Harkins,
Subs not used: Soutar, Cameron
Booked: Kerr, Lauchlan
Goals: Bulvitis (OG), Hawkins, Forsyth
Inverness: Esson, Tokely, Bulvitis, Munro, Golabek, Proctor, Sanchez (Cox), Duncan (Imrie), Foran, Rooney (Odhiambo), Hayes
Subs not used: Allison, Stratford
Booked: Bulvitis, Hayes
Sent off: Imrie
Goals: Bulvitis, Rooney |
