Dundee cruised into the quarter-finals of the SPFL Trust Trophy with a comfortable 3-0 victory over League One Falkirk.
Two early goals from Zak Rudden had the Dark Blues well in control before midfielder Fin Robertson capped a rare start with a fine finish on 77 minutes.
That made it six wins in a row in all competitions for Gary Bowyer and his side and a fourth clean sheet in the last five.
Though the shut-out was achieved thanks to an impressive sprawling save by Adam Legzdins to deny Calumn Morrison in the closing minutes.
Goals
The opener came through the man of the moment, Paul McMullan. With space limited he skipped past his marker before being bundled over inside the area.
⚽PEANAS AGUS TADHAL⚽
Dream start for @DundeeFC 🔥 Early penalty leads to an early goal!#SPFLTrustTrophy 🏆 pic.twitter.com/lA0cV5thbW
— BBC ALBA (@bbcalba) December 8, 2022
Up stepped Rudden to fire the penalty in, though goalkeeper PJ Morrison got a strong hand to the spot-kick.
Only 14 minutes had passed but Dundee were already in total control of the contest after Rudden added his second.
A wicked low cross from Luke McCowan gave the former Falkirk hitman an easy finish at the far post.
⚽TADHAL⚽@DundeeFC not wasting any time doubling their lead 🤯#SPFLTrustTrophy 🏆 pic.twitter.com/1QsoSZxP6z
— BBC ALBA (@bbcalba) December 8, 2022
Dundee and Rudden could have added more before Lyall Cameron saw a header cleared off the line seconds after the restart.
And just when the home side were threatening to get back into the game, the tie was killed off by Robertson.
Substitute Josh Mulligan powered down the right flank before cutting back and finding Alex Jakubiak in the middle.
He laid the ball off for Robertson to fire into the corner from 25 yards to send his side through.
Injuries and illness
Dundee boss Gary Bowyer warned pre-match his side would be short of bodies and so it proved.
Only six of nine spaces taken up on the bench with the likes of Shaun Byrne, Ben Williamson, Jordan McGhee, Jordan Marshall, Paul McGowan, Ian Lawlor and Zach Robinson all out.
And Niall McGinn not considered.
Despite that the starting XI remained a strong one with no square pegs in round holes.
Cammy Kerr continued at left-back where he has impressed lately. The absences, however, did mean a change of shape.
A back three has seen the Dark Blues through their run of five straight wins before this game.
But with only two centre-backs available in Ryan Sweeney and Lee Ashcroft, it was back to 4-2-3-1 with Lyall Cameron supporting striker Zak Rudden.
Zak Rudden
Top scorer Robinson is among those absent and it is Rudden’s chance to shine.
How he didn’t manage to get a hat-trick only he will know.
After knocking in two so early the former Bairn got beyond the goalkeeper only to see the ball cleared and had two more efforts saved by Morrison.
Second half there were more half-chances but nothing that fell his way before he went down following a heavy challenge.
His replacement for Jakubiak with 15 minutes to go looked more a precaution than anything but yet another player injured is the last thing Dundee need right now.
Especially when Rudden is among the goals – that’s him on seven for the season now.
Fin Robertson
Only his second start since July 2021 in the opening Premiership game of season 2021/22, this was a chance for Robertson to impress his manager.
The 20-year-old has impressed from the bench lately but with Byrne and Williamson injured, he was back in from the start.
The first-half didn’t go his way, being caught on the ball a couple of times and getting an earful from his manager at one point.
Second-half, though, was more like it from the young midfielder, picking up loose balls in the middle and moving the ball on.
🔥⚽ABAIR TADHAL⚽🔥
Another one for @DundeeFC ❗Game over??#SPFLTrustTrophy 🏆 pic.twitter.com/XoEDImbrwK
— BBC ALBA (@bbcalba) December 8, 2022
And he capped his night with an excellent goal, curling into the corner from 25 yards after Jakubiak laid the ball back.
After notching his first-ever senior goal against Airdrieonians two weeks ago, Robertson now has two in three games.
He’s suddenly turned into a goal machine.
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