23/03/00 Hibs 1 Dundee 2
By Dundeefc.net
April 24 2002
TUE 21ST MARCH
Hibernian 1(Paatelainen 26)
DUNDEE 2(Falconer 66 & 90)
Att:10,802
Subs:
Annand(for Sharp)
McSkimming(for Robertson
Bayne, Wilkie, Langfield
Willie Falconer's first goals of the new Millennium gave Dundee a vital three points at Easter Road.
The club's top scorer struck half way through the second period to equalise Mixu Paatelainen's first half effort and headed the winner deep into injury time to send the four hundred or so travelling support into the night singing and cheering.
It had been an excellent Dundee performance during a second period when some slick passing put pressure on the home defence and a contrast to the first half dominated by Hibs and which had seen Paatelainen prod home Tom Smith's inswinging cross from close range.
In Latapy and Miller Hibernian have quality rarely seen outside the Old Firm and the Trinidad and Tobago International pulled most of the strings for Hibs while Miller's pace troubled Dundee throughout.
His absence from the Scotland squad named today seems bizarre.
Dundee were disjointed and more passes seemed to be finding a green jersey than a blue one but the introduction of Eddie Annand and a change from 5-3-2 to 4-3-3 for the second half did the trick big time.
Boyack, Robertson and Rae began to press forward in support of the three front men and with new boy Artero turning in a decent performance at right back (and getting forward at times) and Ireland restored to defence Dundee had a more solid look than in previous weeks.
The breakthrough came on 66 minutes when Boyack swung a free kick from wide on the right and thirty yards out onto Falconer's head, from where it was directed into the bottom corner of the net. Dundee had been pressing for some time before the equaliser but it spurred Hibs into action and Miller was unlucky to see his chip spin clear off the bar after Lehmann had sent him clear.
Dundee too had striking power and Grady took on the defence in 77 minutes with a dazzling run before firing in a twenty yarder which Colgan did well to tip behind for a corner.
Three minutes later Craig Ireland had a gilt edged opportunity to net from ten yards but his right foot shot on the turn spun well wide, almost taking out the linesman on the far side!
The miss wasn't quite as costly as it appeared at the time however, as with three minutes over time played Rae and Boyack combined well on the right with the latter curling the ball onto Falconer's head yet again with a predictable yet delightful result.
A player included in that squad is of course Rab' Douglas and he had to be lively on several occasions during that first half but could only stand and watch as Lehmann came close with his volley rattling clear off the post.