A COMFORTABLE Dundee performance put paid to Montrose’s hopes of starting their pre-season campaign with a win last night.

The Dark Blues ran out easy 3-0 winners, and while the plucky Gable Endies didn’t gave up the fight they never looked like springing an upset.

Dundee opened their account on 17 minutes when Bryan Deasley brought down a high ball 20-yards out and fired it low past keeper Mark Peat’s left.

The hosts went close to a leveller moments later when a John Baird effort caused the visitors’ hearts to skip a beat.

A trio of Montrose half-time substitutions helped lift them briefly, although Dundee quickly shut down anything that looked especially dangerous.

When Paul McHale doubled the visitors’ advantage with a shot from the edge of the box on 65 minutes the result never looked in doubt.

Just seven minutes later Mickael Antoine-Curier made it three with the best score of the game—taking time with his back to goal before turning and curling the ball into the corner from inside the penalty box.

Substitute Graham Collins and Antoine-Curier both had golden chances to make it four as the clock ticked down, but the match ended without further scoring.

Montrose—Peat, Worrell, Thomson, McLeod, Cumming, Davidson, Trialist, Black, Hunter, Baird, Stein. Subs—Gibson, Buchan, Stewart, Trialist, Gardiner, Maitland, Winton, Butter.

Dundee—Douglas, Cowan, Forsyth, McHale, Trialist, Trialist, Daquin, Grant, Antonie-Curier, Deasley, O’Brien. Subs—Hegarty, Collins, Milne, Ritchie.

* Dundee will give a new batch of trialists an outing at Stirling Albion tonight after the Dutch striker and Czech midfielder who had joined then in Malta last week were both released by Alex Rae.