Two wonder goals from Connor Scully saw Dundee fall to a fourth league defeat of the season at Cove Rangers.
The Dark Blues took the lead early on but wilted at the Balmoral as Jim McIntyre’s side ran out 3-1 winners.
Mitch Megginson gave the visitors a warning early on, heading just wide, before Dundee grabbed a 10th-minute lead.
Paul McMullan’s corner was headed on by Lee Ashcroft and then kept alive by striker Zach Robinson allowing Max Anderson to turn the ball into the corner.
The Dark Blues were in good shape but gave up their lead on 27 minutes after some poor defending, Megginson nodding into the corner after Dundee failed to clear.
Then came two incredible finishes from Scully – the first a scissors kick on 50 minutes and the second even better as the midfielder smashed in a superb overhead kick just four minutes later.
Zak Rudden was denied twice by former Dee Kyle Gourlay in the home goal as the clock ticked toward full-time but there was to be no getting out of jail for the Dee.
All or nothing
Dundee have kept six clean sheets in their previous nine games – but when they concede one, more follow.
That must be a huge concern for manager Gary Bowyer.
When things are good, the Dark Blues are good. When a goal goes in there’s a fragility that is costing the side.
That was clear after the second goal at the Balmoral with the backline decidedly shaky every time Cove went forward.
Take nothing away from the quality of the strikes from Scully but Bowyer will not be happy with the way his side gave away the game in the second half.
Max Anderson
A strange game for young midfielder Anderson in his first league start since the beginning of August.
A first league goal of the season early on and an impressive start to the game looked like the old Anderson was back.
But it faded as a poor touch in midfield gave away the free-kick that led to Cove’s equaliser.
And his influence on the game in the middle of the park waned also.
Anderson was then taken off before the hour mark as a triple sub from Gary Bowyer looked to change the course of the game.
Nick Walsh
Referee Nick Walsh did not have a good game.
And he infuriated the Dundee side in the process, on more than one occasion giving a dark blue a telling off for complaints.
Letting challenges go and missing others completely, the game at times turned fiery as frustration got the better of the players.
54' | CRFC 3-1 DFC
WHAT IS GOING ON, SCULLY SCORES AN UNBELIEVABLE OVERHEAD KICK!!!!!!#CRFCLive pic.twitter.com/LSl3tt4L5r
— Cove Rangers FC (@CoveRangersFC) October 4, 2022
Zach Robinson ended up in the book first half for exactly that – feeling he’d been denied a free-kick before catching his man as the ball was cleared upfield.
And possibly added to the reasoning to swap him at half-time for Rudden.
Manager Gary Bowyer also ended up in the referee’s book with 15 minutes to go.
Table
This was Dundee’s chance to steal a march on their rivals at the top end of the Championship table.
None of Partick Thistle, Ayr or Inverness were in action while Queen’s Park were at Morton and lost.
A real opportunity to go second missed.
Instead, the Dark Blues have played a game more than their rivals and remain behind them in the Championship table.
And now Cove and Ton are just two points behind the Dee in fifth.
Just nine games in and four defeats already – that’s not the form of promotion contenders.
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