Dundee boss Tony Docherty on Trevor Carson injury news, ‘blurred’ vision for Adam Legzdins and a mountain to climb at Kilmarnock

Dundee boss Tony Docherty says Luke McCowan’s first-half disallowed goal was a pivotal moment in their Scottish Cup defeat at Kilmarnock.

However, he admitted losing two goals inside three minutes gave his side too much to do to rescue their cup hopes.

Kyle Vassell nipped in for the opener after just 19 seconds before Marley Watkins added a second two minutes later.

“We had the proverbial mountain to climb,” Docherty said

“You can’t expect to get anything if you come to a difficult tie at Kilmarnock and give away two goals in the first three minutes.

“But I have to give the lads a huge amount of credit to the players for doing what they did.

“I thought we had a perfectly good goal chalked off for offside and I don’t know why.

“I think he said that Dara Costelloe was offside but he was nowhere near the goalkeeper when the ball went in.

“That was a pivotal moment.

“I have to give the players credit for the effort they put in and I have to focus on that.

“I feel for the travelling support that came down because we lost it in the first three minutes.”

Adam Legzdins

Dundee were without first-choice goalie Trevor Carson with the experienced Legzdins coming in for just his second appearance of the campaign.

That, though, lasted just 37 minutes as he went off after a discussion with the physio team. Harry Sharp replaced him to make his first Dundee appearance since February.

“I don’t know what happened with Adam Legzdins. He’s still with the medical department,” Docherty said after the game.

“I think it was his vision. I think his vision was blurred.

“I’m not clear on the diagnosis.”

Trevor Carson

The issue with Carson, however, isn’t a serious one with Docherty adding: “Trevor picked up a little niggle in training yesterday.

“Whether that affected the players, I don’t know. Trevor has been fantastic for us.

“It’s only a minor niggle he picked up.

“I thought Harry Sharp did well coming into the game. He’s a good young goalie and he acquitted himself really well.

“I singled him out in the dressing-room to say that.

“I thought Charlie Reilly was outstanding as well when he came on. There were good performances there but we gave ourselves too much to do.”

Dundee are next in action on Tuesday away to Hearts as they get back into Premiership action.