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Dundee verdict: Player ratings, star man and key moments as Paul McMullan stunner caps fine Ayr win

Dundee celebrate Paul McMullan's opener against Ayr
Dundee celebrate Paul McMullan's opener against Ayr (Image: SNS).

A Paul McMullan screamer set Dundee on their way to a deserved 2-1 victory over Ayr United at Dens Park.

The three points are a real boost for the Dark Blues after disappointing results at Cove Rangers and Arbroath.

And they moved them up to fourth in the Championship table, level with the Honest Men and Queen’s Park in the congested leading pack.

McMullan sparked the victory with an impressive performance, smashing in a long-ranger on 36 minutes.

Substitute Zach Robinson made it 2-0 just minutes after coming on at half-time, before Ayr made it interesting through Josh Mullin’s finish on the hour.

Dundee close down Ayr danger man Dipo Akinyemi (Image: SNS).

Key moments

Dundee came close in the opening minutes as Zak Rudden flicked a Luke McCowan shot just wide and Cillian Sheridan saw a header saved.

Ayr had a couple of dangerous moments, but the opening was fairly low-key.

That was until McMullan wound up his right foot and let rip from 35 yards, firing an unstoppable effort into the top corner.

The Dark Blues had been the better side without being spectacular, but they doubled their lead moments after the half-time break.

Zach Robinson makes it 2-0 to Dundee (Image: SNS).

A double substitution saw Josh Mulligan and Robinson come on and make an immediate impact, the latter following up a saved Jordan McGhee shot to make it 2-0.

Any thoughts of a calm final half-hour were dashed when Dipo Akinyemi got the better of Ryan Sweeney before crossing for Mullin to make it 2-1.

Dundee then passed up a succession of chances, Mulligan and Robinson missing the best of them.

That could have come back to haunt them in stoppage time, but Ayr attacker Daire O’Connor fired a good opportunity over the bar from inside the area.

Dundee’s star man: Paul McMullan

Paul McMullan finds the top corner (Image: SNS).

Winger McMullan has been one of Dundee’s most consistent performers this season.

His pace is a real asset but, against Ayr, his quality on the ball came to the fore.

His goal was a real ‘what are you thinking shooting from there’ moment, before he made clear he knew exactly what he was doing by finding the top corner.

In the second half, the confidence oozed out of him as he set up chance after chance after chance.

It’s a shame the finishing of his team-mates didn’t match his set-up play or this would have been a far more comfortable victory.

Player ratings

Legzdins 6, Kerr 7, French 7, Sweeney 5, Marshall 6, McGhee 7, Grayson 7, McMullan 9 (Jakubiak 90), McCowan 7 (Cameron 81), Sheridan 5 (Robinson 46, 7), Rudden 6 (Mulligan 46, 7).

Subs not used: Sharp, Byrne, Williamson, Anderson, Strachan.

Attendance: 4,490 (351 away)

Manager under the microscope

Dundee boss Gary Bowyer certainly was under the microscope after a disappointing couple of results at Cove and Arbroath.

Changes were expected, but Bowyer stuck as much as he could to the line-up that faced the Lichties last week.

Dundee boss Gary Bowyer ahead of the clash with Ayr (Image: SNS).

Lee Ashcroft was out with illness, so Ryan Sweeney returned to the centre of defence.

Otherwise, Bowyer stuck with the 4-4-2, midfield two of Joe Grayson and Jordan McGhee and front pairing of Cillian Sheridan and Zak Rudden.

Changes did come at half-time, however. The front two were off and on came Zach Robinson and Josh Mulligan, with the Dundonian playing off the AFC Wimbledon loanee.

They paid off immediately with a second goal involving both subs just minutes after the restart.

Man in the middle

Grant Irvine let a few things go across the 90 minutes in what was a hard-fought contest.

But overall, the whistler had a quiet game with few issues.

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