DUNDEE’S DECISION to go for it in this game showed confidence and ambition on the part of manager Barry Smith.
Most importantly, his plan of attack worked like a treat.
The Dark Blues may not have taken all three points but they troubled the Hibs defence when they moved forward and, had chances been converted rather than passed up, they would have travelled back to Dens Park with a deserved victory.
Their bold approach was all the more praiseworthy for the fact that even before they took the field on Saturday they had learned that nearest rivals Ross County had thumped St Mirren in the lunchtime fixture to move 12 points clear of Dundee.
No one at Dens Park has given up hope, though, and neither should they be despondent if they can continue to produce spirited displays like this one, a performance full of goal threat and plenty of neat passing and movement.
They took the lead through John Baird his first for the club on just eight minutes and Hibs were second best until former Dens player Leigh Griffiths scored a brilliant freekick just after half-time.
One of the four strikers given a start by Dundee manager Barry Smith was Steven Milne and he believed his team deserved more than just a point.
Two of the golden opportunities fell Milne’s way and he was left to ponder what might have been. On both occasions one in the first half and one in the second he was thwarted by Hibs keeper Ben Williams who, significantly, earned his club’s man-of-the-match award.
“It is really disappointing because we were 1-0 up at the break and we wanted to keep it tight for the first few minutes of the second half at least,” said Milne.
“Leigh Griffiths then scored a very good free-kick but even after that we created a couple of chances and could have won the game.
“I know Hibs had a lot of the ball in the second half but they didn’t create much and we were disappointed not to win.
“I had a couple of chances. The first one, in particular, I thought I could have done better with but the keeper got down early and stopped me putting it in the corner with my left foot. It was a good save.
“For my second chance, I put the ball in the only place I could have and the keeper has blocked it with his legs. I’m disappointed not to have scored but I am pleased to be getting chances in the first place.”
Milne rightly pointed out that although the Dark Blues were forward-thinking in their approach they were also considered. This wasn’t about throwing caution to the wind.
“Our change in formation worked,” he added. “We worked in training on playing four strikers because we feel we are as well going for it now.
“Our goal typified our formation with myself, Mark Stewart, Colin Nish and Bairdy all contributing to the move.
“The four of us combined well but we were also disciplined. It’s not as if we were bombing on. We did our defensive duties, too. We need to win games but we can’t go gung-ho.”
And Milne reassured the supporters 500 of whom made the trip to Easter Road on a bitterly cold afternoon that nobody has given up hope of staying up despite the gap growing to 11 points.
“We still believe,” he declared. “I know the table doesn’t look good but we are going to keep positive.”
Dens boss Smith, meanwhile, was understandably pleased with the efforts of his players.
He said: “We scored a great goal, in terms of passing and how the strikers worked together. I was pleased for John to get his goal because he does work ever so hard and deserves it.
“We had worked on things over the last couple of weeks and it went well for us. We were positive. Even when we were under a wee bit of pressure in the second half we still created chances.
“Overall I am happy with the performances at what is a difficult place to visit. It shows how far we have come because we got turned over here before and didn’t turn up that day. So to leave this time with a point has to be a positive.”
While Smith had every right to be happy with a job well done by both himself and his team, his opposite number Pat Fenlon was rather more downbeat.
While highlighting his own players’ faults, the Irishman did acknowledge the role played by the Dark Blues in troubling Hibs.
“Dundee started the game better than we did,” said Fenlon. “We were a little bit better in the second.
“It wasn’t good enough, though, and we were lethargic. From the first pass we were sloppy. We didn’t play well today and we know that.”
With a nod to Smith’s tactics, he added: “I think in their position there is not much more to lose.
“It is a case of having to go for it. You have to give them credit for that. They could have come here and sat in but they didn’t.”
iroache@thecourier.co.uk