Tony Docherty says Lyall Cameron’s display in dispatching Airdrie in the Scottish Cup shows his dedication to Dundee despite agreeing to join Rangers in the summer.
Cameron has been a star turn since emerging from the Dark Blues academy but will call time on his career at Dens Park at the end of this season.
His final campaign will be one with a double-figure goal return after two goals in Dundee’s 4-0 win over Airdrieonians moved him onto 10 strikes this term.
Cameron also laid on Clark Robertson’s opening goal with Seun Adewumi on target, too, as the Dark Blues ran riot in the first half.
The display was no surprise for manager Docherty.
“Not at all,” Docherty said.
“Lyall is fully committed to this football club and you can see the reaction he got from the fans when he came off.
“That’s nothing more than he deserves because he’s been a brilliant servant.
“He gets his two goals and I just took him off because we’re nursing that injury that he had.
“But no question at all about Lyall’s commitment towards us.
“We have objectives this season and Lyall Cameron is a massive part of that.
“He’s a really ambitious young man and a really talented young man.
“And there’s more chance of winning football matches with Lyall Cameron in it. Not just because of his ability, but because of his mentality and his attitude.
“That’s served him well and it’ll serve Dundee well until the end of the season.”
Changes
Docherty rang the changes – six was the magic number after two 6-0 defeats.
Missing were Seb Palmer-Houlden with a knock picked up at Celtic and Ethan Ingram for personal reasons. Mo Sylla, Cesar Garza, Ryan Astley and Fin Robertson were all benched.
After a minute’s applause for the passing of Dens favourite Billy Pirie, Airdrie had the first chance only for Chris Mochrie’s effort to be blocked.
But a moment of redemption followed on 13 minutes. Lyall Cameron was given a warm reception by home fans as he stepped up to take a corner and his delivery was headed straight in by Clark Robertson.
The big defender had a day to forget against Hearts last week but seven days later notched his first goal in dark blue.
The goals kept coming, some of it due to good attacking play, some after picking off poor play from the visitors.
It was 2-0 on 25 minutes as the bright Scott Tiffoney cut out a Dylan MacDonald back-pass and teed up Cameron.
It was 3-0 on 40 minutes as Antonio Portales’ tenacity won the ball back before Tiffoney this time played in Adewumi to slot home.
And on 44 minutes the fourth came from good pressing, Simon Murray stealing the ball off the Airdrie defence and giving Cameron an open goal for an easy second.
It was exactly the kind of half Dundee needed after their week from hell.
Return of the skipper
The second half almost started in the fashion the first ended – with a Dundee goal. This time Kieran Wright made a good save with his feet to deny Murray.
On 57 minutes, Cameron’s one black spot on his performance saw him pick up a yellow card to earn a suspension for the next round.
Moments later Dundee fans got a first look at Victor ‘Chespi’ Lopez as he made his debut since joining on loan from Mexico.
Airdrie, though, started to show life. Skipper Adam Frizzell curled a free-kick onto the crossbar before being denied by an excellent McCracken save.
Moments after that Murray dropped a volley onto the crossbar at the other end as the very open contest continued.
A big cheer rang out on 82 minutes as club captain Joe Shaughnessy returned to the pitch after 10 months out with a cruciate ligament injury.
And the returning skipper helped the side to a much-needed clean sheet.
Goalkeeper change explained
Jon McCracken was the man between the sticks who will have that clean sheet to his name.
And he earned it with a number of strong saves throughout the contest after Docherty brought in the Scotland squad man for Trevor Carson.
“He’s done well,” the Dundee boss said of McCracken.
“He made a couple of really important saves and his distribution was good.
“It was planned from the start of the season [to have a change in goal for cup games].
“I’ve said all along about the competition in the squad and we’ll need that in the run-in. We’re still involved in the Scottish Cup, which is brilliant at this stage.
“There were six changes to the team which brought a freshness and energy.
“But because of the squad that I’ve got, there was no difference in quality.
“We were relentless and we got the reward.
“The boys deserve a hell of a lot of credit for that.”
Dundee now await the draw for the last eight on Monday night.
Teams
Dundee (3-4-2-1): McCracken, C Robertson (Shaughnessy 82), Portales, Donnelly, Mulligan, Larkeche (Samuels 72), McGhee (F Robertson 72), Cameron (Sylla 72), Tiffoney, Adewumi (Lopez 61), Murray.
Subs not used: Carson, Astley, Garza.
Airdrieonians (4-2-3-1): Wright, MacDonald, McMaster (Armstrong 57), Wilson (Cooper 80), Frizzell, Bruce (Hancock 66), Watson, McGrattan (McGregor 57), Gallagher, Mochrie (McStravick 66), Graham.
Substitutes: Hutton, Duffy, Bannon.
Referee: Euan Anderson
Attendance: 4,335
Conversation