Josh Mulligan expects to be hearing from Paul McGowan all week after shooting rather than passing as Dundee looked to put the weekend match at Raith Rovers to bed.
After putting his side in front with an early strike at Stark’s Park, Mulligan sprinted away in the second period with an overload that could have sent his side free and clear at 2-0.
With Zak Rudden inside and McGowan at the back post and only two defenders trying to stop them, Mulligan decided to go his own way.
He cut inside his man and fired goalwards, ignoring McGowan’s shouts at the far post, but shot straight at Jamie MacDonald in the Raith goal.
The rebound would be fired off the post by Rudden before McGowan let rip at his young team-mate.
‘Gowser’s not happy with me’
Asked if he felt he should have added a second goal, Mulligan replied: “Yeah, definitely.
“Gowser’s not happy with me actually, because I never slid it across. I told him I looked up and all I could see was the goal.
“I didn’t really see the keeper, where he was standing. Maybe I could have gone near post.
“I didn’t strike it particularly well, but I’ll take the first one.
“I think we definitely should have buried the game earlier on, but we’re happy with result and we’ll take it and move on to next week.”
Is McGowan still unhappy?
“Oh, yes, he’ll be on at me all week for that one!” Mulligan added.
“But he just wants the best for me, so I’m happy he does it.”
‘We needed that’
Come full-time, though, Mulligan’s first-half goal did prove to be the difference between the sides.
It was his first goal of the season after finishing last term in real goalscoring form despite the club heading for relegation.
And it came at a good time for the Dark Blues, settling Gary Bowyer’s men into the game after losing out on the opening day to Partick Thistle.
“I just saw the ball at the last second and I thought Zak was about to get on it, but he just stood still,” Mulligan said of his goal.
“So, I’ve just sort of swung a leg at it. There was no real power in it, but I’ve placed it quite well into the bottom corner.
“We definitely needed that (win). I think that will calm everyone down a wee bit.
“We might be able to express ourselves a wee bit more and we won’t be as tense.”
Fan motivation
Bowyer was quick to praise the impact of a sizeable away support in his post-match comments, saying the backing his team got from the stands was “magnificent”.
Mulligan, meanwhile, was on the pitch in the midst of the action and says the fans helped get the team through the final section of the match as they held onto their one-goal lead.
“The fans were fantastic. The numbers we got at Stark’s Park were brilliant,” he said.
“You could hear them during the game as well. Credit to the fans for coming out and showing the support they did, especially after last week.
“It makes a big difference. When it’s quite a nervy last 10, 15 minutes and you can hear them singing and motivating us it really does help you give that last bit of energy you’ve got.”
4 talking points as Dundee show energy and mettle in Raith Rovers victory
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