Cup final drama as Dundee hit back

caley thistle snatch defeat from the jaws of victory as they finish with 10 men in final agony

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Dundee rallied from two goals down to claim victory in a pulsating Challenge Cup final against Caley Thistle at Perth’s McDiarmid Park yesterday.

Two goals to the good and seemingly coasting to success, Caley Thistle somehow managed to concede three goals and had Dougie Imrie sent off as the wheels came off in spectacular fashion.

Adam Rooney and Nauris Bulvitis scored first-half goals as Inverness overwhelmed their First Division rivals in a blistering opening period. But within six minutes of the second half, Dundee were level as Bulvitis scored an own goal and Gary Harkins added Dundee’s second.

Craig Forsyth netted the winner for the Dens Park men with seven minutes left to send the Dundee supporters in the 8,031 crowd into raptures.

The last time Inverness featured in the competition, six years ago, they not only won the cup but gained promotion to the First Division during the same campaign.

Dundee, who lie second in the First Division behind Queen of the South on goal difference, will now hope they can achieve a similar end result this campaign after lifting the first silverware of the season.

Both managers named attacking teams as Terry Butcher opted to field the forward quartet of Jonny Hayes, Richie Foran, Dani Sanchez and Rooney, while Jocky Scott began with Leigh Griffiths and Sean Higgins supported by Richie Hart and Harkins.

Dundee left back Eddie Malone failed to connect with Forsyth's corner after barely a minute. Caley Thistle responded when Foran hit the side netting from Hayes right-wing cross after a pinpoint long ball from Stuart Golabek picked out the Irish winger.

The Dark Blues were keen to use the pace of Griffiths and, after the former Livingston forward raced past Ross Tokely, Higgins headed narrowly past Ryan Esson's right-hand post on 12 minutes.

Five minutes later Sanchez struck the bar from inside the penalty area after a move involving Hayes and Rooney.

Hayes was a constant threat on the right-hand side and he skilfully created the opening goal.

The 22-year-old cut inside Malone and Forsyth to send in an inch perfect cross which his compatriot Rooney headed past Douglas from six yards.

Dundee surged forward in search of an equaliser and Esson did well to hold on to Harkins's header from Forsyth's corner.

Inverness looked the more confident and dangerous side and Douglas did well to palm wide a Sanchez shot from Rooney's lay-off.

From the resultant corner the Caley Jags doubled their advantage, Hayes curled the ball in, it was cleared to Foran and from his cross Bulvitis flicked the ball over Douglas on 33 minutes.

Dundee seemed powerless to stop Inverness and both Rooney and Goalbek forced Douglas into desperate saves as the first period faded out.

Golabek forced Douglas into another save as the second period began but the Dens Park side pulled one back just three minutes after the break.

Former Inverness and Ross County midfielder Richie Hart sent in a cross from the right which Bulvitis, under pressure from Higgins, inadvertently headed past Esson.

Buoyed by the goal, the Tayside team poured forward, equalising on 52 minutes when Esson spilled Forsyth's weak shot and Harkins fired into the Caley Jags net.

It took Inverness time to recover from losing two goals so early in the period and Dundee were denied the lead when Esson raced out his penalty area to deny the lively Griffiths after the forward was put clean through by substitute Colin McMenamin with 20 minutes remaining.

Forsyth then fired over as he raced into the penalty box as the Caley Jags defence remained static.

Dundee claimed the winner with seven minutes left when Harkins deftly cut the ball back on the right flank and Forsyth curled it beyond Esson from eight yards out.

Substitute Imrie was barely on the field for a minute when he was sent off for fouling Pat Clarke late on to bring a bitterly disappointing end to a final which had promised so much for Inverness.