Dundee’s four-match unbeaten run came to a grinding halt at the hands of Rangers after a twice-delayed Premiership clash at Dens Park
Kick off was put back 45 minutes after the Rangers team bus was held up in traffic coming across the Tay Road Bridge.
The game got under way but lasted only two minutes as smoke covered the Rangers goal after a huge number of flares were lit in the away end.
Referee Kevin Clancy stopped the game and, on the advice of the police following a fire alarm in the Bob Shankly Stand, the players then left the pitch.
Eventually the match got under way once more at 8.50pm.
And within minutes, Rangers had the lead. Trevor Carson won’t want to see it again after he spilled a Danilo cross into the path of Ryan Jack for a simple finish.
Midway through the half Carson did, though, pull off a super save to deny Danilo making it 2-0.
A disappointing first half for the Dark Blues got worse shortly after half-time as Danilo finally got his goal to indeed make it 2-0.
They had the chance to halve the deficit on 55 minutes as Jack Butland saved a deflected Luke McCowan effort before Amadou Bakayoko saw his rebound brilliantly blocked by the keeper.
But there was no comeback as Rangers made it 3-0 after 74 minutes, Sam Lammers rattling an unstoppable effort in off the bar.
Then came a moment that enraged the home side as referee Clancy clearly blocked McCowan getting to a pass in Dundee’s attacking third. Rangers claimed possession and sprung out on attack, sub Cyriel Dessers making it 4-0.
Dundee players remonstrated, the home bench were furious but the goal stood.
And there was still time for a VAR-awarded penalty after Lyall Cameron downed James Tavernier in the area. Tavernier himself stepped up to make it 5-0 on a tough night for the Dark Blues.
Delays and more delays
Getting in and around Dundee over the past few weeks has frankly been a nightmare over recent weeks.
Roadworks everywhere you look. Adding around 4,000 away fans coming up from Glasgow to the normal rush-hour traffic was a recipe for traffic chaos.
It was, though, the Rangers team bus struggling to get across the Tay Road Bridge that delayed the start.
Eventually the Gers players appeared on the pitch and kick-off was announced as scheduled for half past eight.
The pitch, meanwhile, was in good condition – one soggy goalmouth aside. Rainfall from Storm Ciaran had been non-stop throughout the day with concern the weather might affect the game.
However, there were no worries on that front – just bumper to bumper traffic.
That was before the visiting Rangers fans got the match stopped after letting off a host of flares in the away end, setting off the fire alarm and putting the game at risk once more.
Eventually things got under way over an hour after the originally scheduled kick-off.
Team
The game, though, did go ahead and there was a new look to the Tony Docherty’s side.
Ricki Lamie was back in to shake up the backline with Antonio Portales moving into the right-back slot.
Aaron Donnelly was left-back with Owen Beck pushed up to the left wing. It was a back four that could become a back five if needed.
Mo Sylla kept his place in midfield alongside Malachi Boateng with Luke McCowan and Scott Tiffoney tasked with supporting Bakayoko up top.
However, Dundee were all at sea at times when Rangers drove at them, the delay in kick-off seeming to affect the hosts more than the visitors.
On the back foot
Dens gaffer Docherty wanted a 12th man atmosphere from the home fans. To keep that up there has to be some encouragement on the pitch.
Unfortunately Carson’s uncharacteristic error put the Dark Blues on the back foot almost immediately after the restart.
And the struggles Dundee’s normally assured defence had in getting to grips with a sharp Rangers attack didn’t help either.
The visitors were finding space in midfield, space up front and there were a couple of early bookings to boot.
The plan wasn’t working and Docherty changed it at half-time with Cammy Kerr coming on as a recognised right-back and Zak Rudden joining Bakayoko in a front two.
But quickly the game was taken away from the Dee with Danilo striking on 51 minutes and it ended up being a long, long second half.
Player Ratings
Dundee: Carson 5, Portales 5, Shaughnessy 5, Lamie 5 (Kerr 46, 6), Donnelly 5, Beck 6, Boateng 5 (Howley 73), Sylla 6, Tiffoney 6 (Rudden 46, 6), McCowan 5 (Cameron 86), Bakayoko 5 (Pineda 80).
Subs not used: Legzdins, McGhee, Reilly, Robertson.
Rangers: Butland, Tavernier, Yilmaz, Lundstrum, Goldson, Jack (Cifuentes 78), Lammers, Sima (Cantwell 61), Wright, Balogun, Danilo (Dessers 78).
Subs not used: McCrorie, Dowell, Sterling, Barisic, King, McCausland.
Referee: Kevin Clancy
Attendance: 8,970
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