Dumbarton 0 Dundee 0
Dumbarton and Dundee fought out a goalless draw in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup at the Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium.
Dumbarton and Dundee fought out a goalless draw in the fifth round of the
Scottish Cup at the Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium.
The Premiership side were largely dominant but the Sons defended resolutely and earned a replay at Dens Park.
Dundee started the game with real purpose and nearly went in front after just four minutes. After a corner for the away side, they kept the ball alive and
Greg Stewart found room on the edge of the box to fire a crisp left-footed
strike which cannoned off Jamie Ewings' right-hand post. The keeper smothered the rebound from Rory Loy.
The Dark Blues heaped pressure on Dumbarton in the early stages, with the home side struggling to cope with their Premiership opponents. Gary Harkins was next to threaten with an effort from long range but it went wide.
Dumbarton grew into the game after a shaky start with their main threat coming from Christian Nade, on his debut after a move from Hamilton.
The French striker won a free-kick 30 yards from goal just before the half-hour mark and his presence prevented Darren O'Dea from clearing Tom Walsh's delivery, but Darren Barr's shot from the rebound was blocked.
Dundee thought they had broken the deadlock after 36 minutes after Loy played Kane Hemmings through on goal. The striker lifted the ball over the onrushing Ewings and it was heading for the net before an amazing goal-line clearance from Mark Docherty kept the scores level at half-time.
The pitch was cutting up badly as the second half went on and the conditions were never going to be conducive to free-flowing football.
Dundee continued to have the bulk of the play but the sizeable away support was growing increasingly restless at the lack of clear-cut chances being created.
Hemmings had the ball in the net after 56 minutes after being played through on goal, but the linesman's flag was quickly up.
Dumbarton's Tom Walsh showed good skill on the wing soon after to skip past
challenges from Paul McGowan and Paul McGinn, but his cross was just out of Nade's reach.
Dumbarton enjoyed a good spell in the middle of the second half, Docherty
curling a right-footed effort just wide on 64 minutes.
It was turning into a frustrating day for Paul Hartley's side. Set-pieces
seemed the best route for them to breach a well-organised defence and Harkins was close to doing so as he stooped to head a Stewart corner, but his effort flew just over the bar.
Substitute Arturo spurned a golden opportunity for the Dens Park side minutes after coming on. Loy's square ball set up the Spaniard but he scuffed his effort straight at Ewings.
Both teams pressed for a winner into the closing stages, with the Sons putting in some dangerous crosses and Kevin Holt and Stewart going close for Dundee, but it ended goalless.