The visitors were fortunate to take an early lead when McGinn’s cross floated over Long and found the far corner of the goal but Motherwell were unable to mount any sustained threat to Bain at the other end. The extent of the shambles, at back and front, was such that the ‘Well Bois were silenced before the half hour.
There were three changes to the side that lost in Dingwall. Laing, Moore and Johnson were introduced at the expense of Reid, Kerr and Nathan Thomas. We last met Dundee five weeks ago and only three starters from that meeting remained as we kicked off facing the 688 away fans in the South Stand. Unfortunately the new team looked like a bunch of strangers who had yet to be introduced.
Guess where this finishes?
After a scrappy opening ten minutes Sutton produced what turned out to be our only goal bound attempt when he delivered an easy looping header for the ‘keeper. We conceded two minutes later. Johnson was weak at defending on our left wing and allowed McGinn to deliver a cross from a tight angle close to the touchline. There were no attackers in the path of the ball but it cleared the outstretched reach of our 6’4” goal keeper and was stopped by the side net for what turned out to be the only goal of the game.
The loss shattered what little confidence we had and the remaining 78 minutes was tortuous to watch. Dundee carried a threat with every forward run and we seemed powerless to counter.
Johnson switched wings with Erwin to no effect and the new man was substituted just before the break with an ankle injury. Nathan Thomas then made his home debut.
We started the second half with some spirit if nothing else and our effort resulted in a free kick at the edge of the box. Erwin was charged with the responsibility and then missed the target hign by several yards. At the other end Straker was run ragged by Harris and Long had to make a few valuable stops.
Moore was replaced by Dom Thomas on the hour but little changed. We persisted with a mixture of long balls to the isolated Sutton or, for variety, a misplaced forward pass. Had the players been thrown together an hour before the game the lack of understanding might have been expected but after a few weeks training we might have expected to see some semblance of a game plane. None was evident.
There were cheers and a bugle over the tannoy when we won our first corner well into the game but we were second to the ball with the Dundee ‘keeper a spectator.
Results elsewhere mean that we are now at the foot of the table and there has to be a major reaction when Inverness arrive next week. If we are unable to make some drastic improvement in the next few weeks then we can get out the dusty road maps to assist as some long lost venues are rediscovered.
Motherwell 0 Dundee 1
Attendance 4,282 (688)
Team: Long, Ramsden, Mcmanus, Sutton (Ainsworth 73), Lasley, Erwin, Moore (D Thomas 58), Johnson (N Thomas 42), Straker, laing, Grant