Dundee’s fringe men are staking a claim for first-team recalls after starring for the club’s reserve side in a 7-2 thrashing of Falkirk.
Dens boss Tony Docherty is keen to use reserve football to ensure his entire first-team squad is up to speed a ready for selection.
And he’ll have been delighted by the response of his senior pros when they dropped down to reserve level.
The Reserve Cup match was moved from North End Park to the Regional Performance Centre astroturf due to poor weather.
As a result no fans were able to watch on as first-team stars Scott Tiffoney, Charlie Reilly, Cammy Kerr, Josh Mulligan, Fin Robertson and Ryan Howley all started.
Also in from the start was Jack Wilkie as he returned from injury.
First-half goal glut
However, it was Falkirk who started the brighter of the two teams and took an early lead.
It was all square once more after 11 minutes, though, as Tiffoney made it 1-1 from the penalty spot.
Six minutes later and Tiffoney was at it again, this time backheeling his side in front.
The goals kept coming, on this occasion it was Kerr finding the net. He lined up a free-kick from 25 yards and found the top corner for 3-1.
Dundee Reserve team for the Reserve Cup match against Falkirk Reserve
The game is being played behind closed doors. #thedee pic.twitter.com/KXVmqL3P3j
— Dundee Football Club (@DundeeFC) December 12, 2023
Half-an-hour hadn’t yet been played and Tiffoney already had a hat-trick before Reilly got his first goal in Dundee dark blue with a strike on 32 minutes.
Tiffoney was replaced after 58 minutes with Rayan Mohammed replacing him. The former Partick Thistle man did his chances of a recall to the starting XI no harm at all.
Mulligan and Reilly then got the chance to put their feet up with 18 minutes left on the clock as Fin Allan and Jamie Richardson entered the fray.
And both subbies would add further goals after Falkirk had cut the deficit to 5-2.
Allan looped in a header before Richardson rounded the goalkeeper in the closing stages to complete the scoring at 7-2.
The victory puts Dundee top of Group Two, one point ahead of local rivals Dundee United.
Dundee: Welsh, Kerr, Murray, Lochhead, Tiffoney, Mulligan, Reilly, Robertson, Howley, Lewis, Wilkie.
Subs: McKelvie, Donald, Sweenie-Rowe, Richardson, Clark, Allan, Mohammed.
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