Dundee: The road to recovery

With all the goings on off the pitch at Dundee, it was easy to forget that this season they’d won two out of two. Next up was their first league game of the season and a chance to begin winning back those 25 points deducted.

Stirling Albion away from home was the first test and Matthew McClintock knew just how difficult things were going to be for his side. McClintock issued a rallying call to his side the day before the game. He told them that this season, all the teams in this division would be out to put the boot further into the club. With a 25 point deficit, nobody sees this Dundee side surviving, despite the fact that on paper they have some of the best players in the league. McClintock told them to all unite as a team and go out there, starting with Stirling tomorrow and prove a point to everybody. Prove that they are going to remain in this league and become known as being the team who beat the inevitable.

The rallying call seemed to give a boost to all the players and as they prepared for the trip to Stirling, spirits were high.

The team for the opening day saw McClintock stick with the same formation that got them through both cups. Rab Douglas in goal. A back four of Gary Irvine, right back, Matt Lockwood, left back and a centre back pairing of Ross Perry and Rhys Weston. In the holding midfield role, McClintock went with Hearts loanee Dylan McGowan, with Gary Harkins and Stephen O’Donnell the other two central players. Out wide it was the best of friends, Michael Ordish and Nicky Riley, with McClintock allowing them to switch whenever they felt they needed to. In the lone striking role, McClintock opted for Gifton Noel-Wiliams.
Within ten minutes, Dundee took the lead. A swift counter attack saw Michael Ordish run the Stirling left back into the ground before cutting it back to the edge of the area where captain Gary Harkins was on hand to cooly slot past the helpless keeper. The celebration saw Harkins gather his team mates who all fell to the floor as Harkins pretended to knock them out. A good laugh for all, including the fans. The only man not best pleased was Mr.Riley who walked back to his own half.

As the half progressed, Stirling got more into the game and should have levelled when a slip in the backline from Ross Perry let in Gordon Smith who failed to hit the target with a dangerous strike. On the stroke of half time, the Dees made Stirling pay as a long diagonal ball from Dylan McGowan found Nicky Riley who cut inside brilliantly and launched a right footed strike into the top corner, a stunning goal from Riley, who in typical fashion, celebrated by punching the corner flag. Nobody joined him however.
The second half was as dull as a game of football can be. Dundee played the game out sensibly and it ended 2-0, a superb start for McClintock’s men and the table now saw his side on -22 points. It still looked bleak for the Dees but the road to recovery was well underway.
 
this story is really good, getting better with every update, keep up the good work!
 
Just foundnthis now. It is absolutely brilliant. Griffiths was a blow but I think you should use the Leweds motto. We are so good we just wanted to give you a 25 point start.
 
Thanks miskell99

Up next for McClintock’s men was a Dunfermline double header, in midweek they met in the Challenge cup second round, while at the weekend it was a league encounter. It’d be interesting to see what McClintock’s priority would be.

The cup game saw a surprising move as McClintock went almost full strength. Connor Rennie came in for captain Gary Harkins who was rested and Gifton Noel-Williams was also saved for the weekend with young striker Leighton McIntosh getting a starting berth. Dens Park was packed as the crowd highly anticipated this cup clash, the cup that they hold currently, the fans were desperate to retain it.

The game began brightly as both sides started well with Dunfermline having the best chance early on. A looping cross from Joe Cardle saw experienced front man Colin McMenamin miss a sitter, putting his header wide from six yards out. Dunfermline had another great chance just before half time, McMenamin again, this time the veteran got in behind Rhys Weston and went one on one with Rab Douglas only for the former Celtic keeper to deny him.

In the second half the Dees picked themselves up and had a really good chance early on. Nicky Riley got down the flank and cut the ball back expertly for Connor Rennie to come on and strike viciously against the post. Matthew McCLintock winced as he began to think it wouldn’t be his sides day.
With twenty minutes to go came the turning point. Riley was causing havoc again and Jack Ross the Dunfermline right back caught him late and was shown a straight red card. It was seen as one that could have gone either way, Ross may have felt hard done by.

As time ticked on, it looked as though neither side were going to break the deadlock and with three minutes stoppage time put up, the Dens Park crowd roared in anticipation of one final attack for the Dees.
Michael Ordish switched the play brilliantly to Matt Lockwood who had Nicky riley just inside of him. Lockwood exchanged passes with Riley before whipping a teasing ball backpost to Leighton McIntosh who headed against the bar! But the rebound fell kindly to the feet of young Michael Ordish who stole the headlines with a 93rd minute winner for Matthew McClintock’s men.

The referee blew his whistle and Dundee secured a big, big win just three days before they travel to face the same side in the league. Surely the psychological advantage now lay firmly in Dundee’s hands?
 
After the fantastic result midweek in the cup, the Dees now travelled to Dunfermline in the league and Matthew McClintock knew they’d be in for a tough test. The team news saw two changes for McClintock’s men. Gary Harkins returned to captain the side in place of Stephen O’Donnell who was struggling with badly bruised ribs. Gifton Noel-Williams also returned up front in place of young Leighton McIntosh.

The game began with Dundee on the front foot, continuing from where they left off midweek. Michael Ordish, the goalscorer in the win was threatening early on and Dunfermline looked unable to cope with his pace and trickery. An early cross towards Noel-Williams saw his header well saved from Chris Smith.

As half time approached Dunfermline stepped their game up and started to look threatening. Left winger Willie Gibson beat Gary Irvine and whipped in a testing ball towards former Gretna striker David Graham who missed a real sitter from six yards out. McClintock breathed a sigh of relief as his side went in at the break level.

The half time team talk saw chaos ensue in the Dees dressing room, unsurprisingly Nicky Riley was at the front of the queue.

‘We’ve rode our luck towards the end there gents. Now let that be a wake up call to you, go out there at the beginning of this half and make your mark on the game. I’ve got faith in every single one of you to go out there and get us a result today, prove me right.’ McClintock’s words didn’t seem to rally everyone.

‘Bollocks gaffer. I’m sorry but you need to tell it how it is, that wasn’t good enough, not in the slightest. Gaz(Gary Irvine), you need to get a hold of their wide man and smash him early on. You two clowns at centre back, start winning your headers. Harks, you’re meant to be captain? Start acting like one. Ordish, well. It’s starting to show that you’re only 17 kid. Tell these lot to pull their finger out in future boss or I will.’

Nicky Riley’s comments didn’t sit well in the dressing room and arguments broke out all over. Matthew McClintock took control of the situation accordingly in his opinion.

‘Riley, off. You think you can come here and lay the blame on everyone else, tell me how to do my job? You’ve got another thing coming son. Start acting like a player rather than talking like a player, cos you certainly weren’t good enough that half to come in shouting the odds at the rest of the boys.’

‘Too right, I’ve got two men to deal with down my side because you aren’t tracking back. You aren’t Cristiano Ronaldo, you’re Nicky Riley.’ Matt Lockwood, the Dees left back giving his frank assessment on his team mates display.

Riley was in disbelief. Not only at the way Lockwood responded, but with the fact his manager had taken him off. Riley was a troublesome character but the manager knew he had the talent to turn a game.

‘Cheers gaffer. Come in at full time and see what the score is eh? I hope you get the right result, cos if you don’t, rest assured, I’ll be making sure you know you made a big mistake.’

A shocking attitude from Riley but McClintock didn’t care, all he cared about was getting a good result come full time. On came Gregor Neish, a 17 year old who went in at left back with Matt Lockwood moving to the left flank.

The second half began with Dundee seeming to respond to their manager and they carved up several early chances. Gifton Noel-Williams had another header well saved and Gary Harkins long ranger rattled the post. As the game wore on, Dunfermline began to test the Dees back four, but Ross Perry and Rhys Weston stood firm and held out for a clean sheet, however, Dundee didn’t have the firepower either to unlock their opponents. It finished 0-0 and Matthew McClintock seemed happy with a point against one of the better sides in the league.

One man however was not happy with the point and from the moment the manager and the side got back in the dressing room, Nicky Riley made his point.

‘I wonder gaffer, what would the score have been had I stayed on the pitch? Ask yourself that when you go to sleep tonight.’

Matthew McClintock laughed as he told Riley to be ready for Monday morning when he’d be in for a real treat. What does the man in charge have in store for Nicky Riley?
 
This is absolutely brilliant. I love how you're forming relationships within the team to make it all a lot more realistic.
 
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