Midweek signing Michael Duffy made an instant impression on his Dundee debut by scoring a superb goal in a 1-1 draw at Alloa.
The on-loan Celtic man’s effort was the highlight of a scrappy and at times feisty match.
Manager Paul Hartley was delighted with what he saw from Duffy.
He said: “It’s a really good start for him.
“I thought he was really positive and bright. He took up good positions and it was an excellent finish.
“He’ll get sharper over the coming weeks and so will the team. It’s early days.”
Rory Loy was put clean through in the opening minutes but he dragged his shot past the post.
Dundee didn’t have long to wait for the opening goal, though, and it was an excellent one.
On 10 minutes Duffy showed nice footwork on the edge of the box and finished low to the keeper’s right.
If there was one player on the pitch likely to make a challenge ill-suited to a pre-season friendly it was panto baddie Jim Goodwin. He clattered into Mark O’Hara but the former Kilmarnock man was able to play on after a bit of treatment.
On 20 minutes Dundee conceded a soft equaliser.
Jordan Kirkpatrick swung an inswinging free-kick from the right and Goodwin rose unchallenged to send a header past Scott Bain.
Dundee nearly regained the lead on 38 minutes when Greg Stewart split the home defence and Craig Wighton was inches away from getting on the end of the through-ball.
The Dark Blues made four half-time substitutions, with David Mitchell, Yordi Teijsse, Gary Harkins and Danny Williams coming on for Bain, Loy, Stewart and Ross.
Williams should have scored eight minutes after the re-start when he latched on to an underhit Goodwin back-pass, but his shot was straight at keeper Neil Parry.
On 70 minutes the ball dropped to Duffy on the edge of the box. If the former Alloa forward’s first-time volley had hit the back of the net it would have been an even better goal than his first half effort, but it flew over the bar.
Alloa – Parry, Taggart, Hetherington, Graham, Hoggan, Goodwin, Cawley, Holmes, Layne, Spence, Kirkpatrick.
Dundee – Bain (Mitchell 45), Holt, O’Dea, Stewart (Williams 45), Loy (Teijsse 45), Duffy, O’Hara, Etxabeguren, Ross (Harkins 45), Kerr, Wighton. Subs not used – Black, Dryden.
Referee – Craig Charleston.
* There was bad news for Dundee off the pitch, with injured captain James McPake now not expected back until January.
Hartley said: “It’s a disappointing but we just have to get our heads around it. That’s the timeframe and there’s not a chance that we’ll rush him back.”
