Luke McCowan’s 45-yard stunner finished Dundee’s Ireland trip in style as Tony Docherty’s Dee ran out 2-1 winners over Fleetwood Town.
Scott Brown’s League One outfit provided a marked step up in quality for the Dark Blues.
However, an injury-hit Dundee made it three wins from three to kick off pre-season after Zach Robinson had opened the scoring.
Early on the sides exchanged early efforts but there were few chances before the sides stopped for a water break midway through the opening half.
After a gruelling week’s training in Ireland for both sides, that wasn’t unexpected.
But Dundee made the most of some slack play by the Fleetwood backline as Josh Mulligan stole the ball.
Zak Rudden was quickest to the loose ball and found Mulligan once more who touched the ball on for Zach Robinson.
The Dark Blues favourite made no mistake with a powerful finish into the bottom corner.
The lead lasted only 10 minutes before Jack Marriott beat Jon McCracken from close range, nodding in after Connor Teale had won the header from a corner.
What a hit from Luke McCowan! 🚀 #thedee pic.twitter.com/3jo7U2Ydmp
— Dundee Football Club (@DundeeFC) July 8, 2023
The usual flurry of subs came in the second period, though Dundee were short of numbers.
With 20 minutes to go Jack Wilkie, Luke Graham and Callum Lamb all came on.
And it seemed like the match was drifting towards a 1-1 draw before McCowan looked up in the centre circle and spotted the goalkeeper off his line.
The finish was sublime as it flew over the stranded keeper and into the goal.
Missing men
The Dark Blues were without a few regulars with Lyall Cameron, Shaun Byrne and Max Anderson missing along with youngster Euan Mutale.
Scott Tiffoney, though, was back in the starting XI after sitting out the midweek victory over Bray Wanderers.
That left Tony Docherty with just 16 players to choose from but three of them being goalkeepers.
That, though, was bolstered with three trialists on the bench. The young trio are part of the Waterford U/19 set-up with Callum McFadden, Matas Grinius and Callum Flynn taking the bench for the Dee.
Missing men, however, gave the new Dundee boss a chance to look at Zach Robinson and Zak Rudden together for the first time.
Zak/Zach attack
Both were involved in the opening goal with Robinson the one finding the net.
Rudden played a key role, however, as he was alive when the opposition had possession and made the most of a loose ball.
Robinson certainly had more looks at goal than Rudden in the opening half, seeing a weak shot saved early on before blazing a volley over later on.
But it was no surprise when he finished off the chance when it was presented to him, firing confidently low past the Fleetwood goalkeeper.
The pair weren’t able to link directly too often but Rudden continued his positive start to pre-season, looking sharp and threatening to add to his two goals against Bray.
Robinson, though,
Friendly?
The first half was your run-of-the-mill friendly but the second period had a bit of spice.
And it was Dundee picking up more of the cards.
First Cammy Kerr lunged in on Adam Montgomery, formerly of St Johnstone, out wide with a poor tackle to spark some pushing and shoving.
Moments later and that escalated when Rudden ended up on the turf after what looked like an elbow thrown his way.
Robinson stood up for his team-mate before Lee Ashcroft and Aristote Nsiala stepped it up a notch before things finally calmed down and the referee booked both.
Friendly in name, maybe not in nature.
