No Score Bore at Palmerston

Queen of the South 0 Dundee 0

Dundee drew a blank in Dumfries, as they were held to a no scoring draw on a freezing night at Palmerston Park.

Dundee made three changes from the team that played against Hamilton on Saturday. Scott Robertson, Simon Lynch and Garry Brady all dropped out and were replaced by Steven Craig, Andy Ferguson and Colin Marshall.

There was a welcome return to the squad for Lee Wilkie. The Scotland International defender was included among the substitutes for the first time since recovering from injury.

The game started slowly, with very few chances for either team early on, and sadly for the travelling support there wasn’t much more excitement.

Andy Ferguson had Dundee’s best chances in the first period – failing to connect with a Tam McManus cut back, and firing over the bar from close range.

However, the best chance of the game fell to Queen’s Gary Wood a minute before half time. Wood ran onto a long punt out of defence and found himself one on one with goalkeeper Scott Murray. Fortunately for Dundee, the first half substitute panicked in front of goal and pulled his shot wide of the right hand upright.

There was disappointment for the travelling Dee fans and comeback man Wilkie at half time though. The freezing conditions meaning that the pitch surface was too hard to play on, with manager Kernaghan and Wilkie deciding between them that it was too risky. Hopefully Lee will get his return match very soon though.

The temperatures seemed to plummet during the second half, and the football on display didn’t improve much either. Queens once again came closest to scoring with Eric Paton’s deflected shot crashing against the crossbar after the Dundee defence failed to clear properly from a corner.

Kernaghan made three changes as Dundee tried to create more chances. Graeme Law made his debut appearance as a replacement for Callum MacDonald, with Scott Gates coming on for Steven Craig.

Bryan Deasley replaced Andy Ferguson up front with 20 minutes to go, and it was the youngster who very nearly snatched three points late on in the game. His snap shot on the turn was palmed over the bar by home ‘keeper Colin Scott.

Dundee’s next league game is at home to Hamilton on Saturday 4^th March.

Man of the Match – Email Syd with your votes for Man of the Match sydeefc62@btinternet.com

Queen of the South: Scott, Paton, Lovell, Aitken, Jim Thomson, Bowey, Burns, McStay (Lyle 65), Gibson, Weir (Mullen 70), Andy Thomson (Wood 38)

Subs not used: O’Neil, Barnard (gk)

Dundee: Murray, Craig (Gates 55), Dixon, Mann, C. MacDonald (Law 55), Smith, K. McDonald, Marshall, Ferguson (Deasley 70), McManus, McCluskey

Subs not used: Wilkie, Britton (gk)

Referee: M. Tumilty

Attendance: 1566