Dundee’s Paul McGowan admits the Dark Blues never recovered from the hammer blow of conceding a goal in just 13 seconds against Rangers in Saturday’s William Hill Scottish Cup quarter-final.
The last thing manager Paul Hartley said to his players before they ran out onto the pitch was to make sure they began well instead, they were one down in the blink of an eye when Harry Forrester robbed Kevin Holt of possession before running on to lash a ferocious shot past keeper Scott Bain.
With a full 89 minutes remaining, Dundee still had plenty of time to claw their way back but Rangers capitalised on that lightning start to leave them chasing shadows and the Premiership outfit could have no complaints about the final 4-0 scoreline.
McGowan admitted they were fatally undone by that “criminal” start.
He said: “To lose a goal after just a few seconds, well you can’t start like that at these places.
“We had a wonderful result in midweek (draw against Celtic) and we were hard working but to start like that is criminal.
“We never recovered and you could see it took a lot out of the boys.
“I think it shocked a lot of them but it is disappointing as we were so confident.
“We have been on a great run. We went to Celtic Park, played well and we should have won.
“Coming to Ibrox, I was quietly confident but fair play to Rangers, the better team won on the day.
“The crowd were right up for it but the first goal gave them that lift. It was crucial and gave the team so much energy and the fans were right behind them.
“We struggled to cope with that and we couldn’t get back in the game.
“But as I said, no complaints, the better team won on the day.”
After Forrester opened the scoring, Rangers were absolutely rampant but could not increase their lead.
As the teams ran down the tunnel at half-time, the Dundee players were no doubt relieved they were just one goal in arrears considering Rangers’ overall dominance.
However, just two minutes after the restart, the Dark Blues conceded again with the impressive Kenny Miller teeing up Jason Holt for the simplest of headers to net from close range to cap what had been a fabulous team move.
Rangers then made it three in the 55th minute, when Andy Halliday sent a free-kick from 20 yards past Bain to send Ibrox rocking.
Dundee huffed and puffed in search of consolation goal but instead they conceded a fourth in the 84th minute.
Rangers skipper Lee Wallace easily jinked past a couple of Dark Blues’ defenders before calmly slotting the ball into the net to well and truly put the icing on the cake for the home side.
When asked if some of the Dundee players maybe froze on the day, McGowan replied: “I don’t know. The first goal affected us massively. There is no getting away from that.
“Rangers came flying out of the traps and we gifted them the goal.
“Only one team looked like winning in the first half, in fact the full game.
“After that (first goal) we froze and we didn’t pass the ball the way we can.
“Rangers wanted it more than us and that’s something I can’t say about our team for the last six or seven games because we have been brilliant.”
McGowan was then asked if Rangers were maybe better than Dundee expected and he answered: “Yes. I have watched a lot of Rangers and it must be hard with other teams sitting in against them.
“But I was impressed with the way they knocked about the ball and play it from the back.
“They were worthy winners but our start just killed us and we will have to live with that.
“We came here with the confidence oozing through the team and it just sapped right out of us.
“It was energy sapping which can never normally be said about us as we are a fit team who keep going right to the end but against Rangers we just looked really leggy and second to every ball.
“Rangers just wanted it more than us today.”
McGowan’s manager also admitted Rangers deserved their win.
Hartley said: “I am extremely disappointed. The last thing we said to them before they went out was make sure you have a good start to the game but we were a goal down after 13 seconds.
“It gave them a massive lift but we have to be honest and say Rangers deserved to win. We didn’t perform, there is no point dressing it up.
“It was a magnificent chance to get into a semi-final and we didn’t perform.”