Dundee out of Betfred Cup despite seven-goal romp
Dundee hammered Forfar in the Betfred League Cup but it was not enough for a place in the last 16.
Paul Hartley's side finished qualifying Group A with a 7-0 rout at Dens Park, leading Garry Bollan's League Two visitors 3-0 by half-time before hitting another four after the break.
Paul McGowan put them on their way before Michael Duffy, a Greg Stewart double, Julen Etxabeguren, substitute Rory Loy and Yordi Teijsse added to the scoreline - but Dundee's seven-point tally was were not enough to finish as one of the four best second-placed sides.
Dundee took the lead in simple fashion on 18 minutes. Stewart released McGowan, who beat the Loons' offside trap before calmly lifting his finish over the head of advancing keeper Grant Adam.
And they doubled their lead in the 35th minute when on-loan Celtic attacker Duffy's 25-yard rocket from Stewart's pass flew high past the helpless Adam.
Stewart killed the contest six minutes before half-time with a close-range finish through Adam's legs after his initial header had been saved.
Etxabeguren made it 4-0 on 55 minutes. Teijsse's header from William's corner was saved on the line by Adam, but the Spaniard bundled home the rebound.
Stewart hit the fifth with an unstoppable finish high into the net from 22 yards after a backheel from substitute Craig Wighton.
Loy got in on the act with a 72nd-minute diving header from Cammy Kerr's cross, before Teijsse completed the rout with a back-post header for his first goal for the club.
Dundee manager Paul Hartley said: It was a good polished professional performance. We were terrific.
We moved the ball and scored great goals. We showed we're a good team.''
He added of their setbacks: Players come and go, you get bad results and it's how you cope.
We had criticism but you've got to battle your way through it. We know we're a good team.
All credit to the lads.''
Dundee are searching for reinforcements following Hemmings' transfer for a fee reported to be around the £250,000 mark, but Hartley admits it is not straightforward.
We are working on trying to get a replacement for Kane but it's not easy trying to bring in good players,'' he said.
Forfar manager Garry Bollan described the loss as 'embarrassing' but took solace in the fact his League Two side will not have to face the likes of Dundee too often.
He said: It was a bit of an embarrassment.
But we won't come up against a quality side like Dundee every week. That's what I've told the players.
They need to get ready for next weekend's first league game against Edinburgh City. That's the important thing but we can learn from this.
Some of the goals we lost were poor but they're a good bunch of lads.''