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Tony Docherty pinpoints key Dundee failing after seven-goal thriller ends in defeat to Rangers

The Dark Blues let a 3-1 lead slip to lose 4-3 in stoppage time.

Dundee boss Tony Docherty saw his side lose it late against Rangers. Image: Ross Parker/SNS
Dundee boss Tony Docherty saw his side lose it late against Rangers. Image: Ross Parker/SNS

Gutted Tony Docherty insists Dundee should never have lost at home to Rangers after a seven-goal thriller ended in defeat.

Leading 3-1 with 15 minutes remaining, the Dark Blues looked good for a massive three points that would have seen them move out of the relegation play-off spot.

However, Rangers struck twice with long-range efforts to level matters on 81 minutes.

Then in stoppage time Cyriel Dessers broke Dee hearts with the winning goal on 93 minutes, seconds after Simon Murray had hit the post.

“The overriding emotion is huge disappointment. I can’t focus on anything but the fact we’ve lost a game we should never lose,” Docherty said post-match.

Dessers won the game in stoppage time. Image: Ross Parker/SNS
Dessers won the game in stoppage time. He had 12 shots on goal across the 90 minutes. Image: Ross Parker/SNS

“The expected goals for us was 2.8, Rangers was 2.4 and we had numerous chances.

“It tells its own story that we are third in the league for goals scored but bottom of the league for goals conceded.

“At 3-3 Simon Murray goes through and I think he’s scored the winner. Then we’re picking the ball out of our own net and losing 4-3.

“It’s really hard to take. Three goals should be enough to win a game.

“At half-time Rangers changed to 4-3-3 and we then changed shape. With that we contained Rangers and hit them on the break, that’s where our third goal comes from.

Simon Murray saw his stoppage-time effort come back off the post. Image: Paul Devlin/SNS
Simon Murray saw his stoppage-time effort come back off the post. Image: Paul Devlin/SNS

“We were doing that well but I felt we went a little bit deep.

“We didn’t get out to the ball quickly enough on goals two and three. There should be more pressure on the ball.

“The two goals come from 25 yards and there should be bodies there to stop that.

“Then the fourth is a sickener.”

Fast start

The starting XI saw no Lyall Cameron for Dundee after Docherty revealed a hamstring injury picked up in training while there was no Vaclav Cerny for Rangers.

The task for the Dark Blues was to continue the feelgood factor from the derby victory a fortnight previous.

Early on, they did just that in a tremendous first 40 minutes – first Simon Murray volleyed in a superb finish from a Robertson corner for a fifth goal in five Premiership matches.

Things got even better on 19 minutes when Shaughnessy bundled in a second.

Simon Murray opened the scoring with a fine volley. Image: Paul Devlin/SNS
Simon Murray opened the scoring with a fine volley. Image: Paul Devlin/SNS

Robertson then had the ball in the net for a third time but referee David Dickinson had earlier blown for a foul.

It wasn’t all Dundee, though, with Rangers frontman Dessers developing a personal battle with Trevor Carson. In the end the Dundee goalie saved eight shots from the Rangers striker.

Joe Shaughnessy made it 2-0. Image: Alan Harvey/SNS
Joe Shaughnessy made it 2-0. Image: Alan Harvey/SNS

The lead would be halved on 43 minutes as Shaughnessy put a dangerous James Tavernier cross into his own net.

Half-time was needed with Dessers denied for a second and third time by Carson, making it four big chances passed up by the striker in the opening 45.

Second half chaos

Three goals in the first half and plenty chances missed – more of the same came in the second.

Scott Tiffoney missed a gilt-edged chance on 49 minutes before Dessers had a goal ruled out for offside after a VAR check.

Seun Adewumi clipped the post and then ran through on goal but lifted his effort over the stranded Butland and over the bar to let a glorious chance go begging.

Tiffoney, though, made up for his miss by firing a cracker of a low finish into the corner and Dundee looked good for their lead.

However, Rangers skipper James Tavernier kept the game alive by firing in from 20 yards.

It was 3-3 on 81 minutes, another long-ranger this time from Tom Lawrence levelled the scores.

Two minutes into stoppage time Dundee had the chance to win it with Murray through on goal only to see his shot crash back off the inside of the post.

That proved crucial. Rangers threw the ball forward, Aaron Donnelly unable to cut out the long ball and Dessers knocked in the winner.

There would even be more chances afterwards with Dessers twice denied by Carson and Charlie Reilly’s effort saved by Butland.

A chaotic game but ultimately one Dundee got nothing out of.

‘We need to address that’

And Docherty accepts much more work is needed to ensure Dundee get out of relegation trouble.

“There’s no feeling sorry for ourselves. There are things we need to accept responsibility for,” he added.

“There are a lot of things we are doing right but there are things we are doing wrong and that’s why we’re in the position we are in.

“It speaks volumes when we are the third highest scorers in the league but the concession of goals is why we are in the position we’re in.

“We need to address that.

“We should be in the position where three goals are enough to win a football match.”

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