By Dundeefc.net
April 24 2002

SUN 27TH FEBRUARY

DUNDEE 1(Tweed 25)
Rangers 7(Wallace 1, 30, 35, Vidmar 18, Albertz 40, Rozenthal 45, Tweed Og 87)

Att:9297

Douglas Miller, Wilkie, Tweed, Smith, Van Eijs Rae, Sharp, Robertson Grady, Falconer

Subs:
Boyack (for van Eijs) Bayne, Raeside, Annand, Langfield It was a nighmare evening for Dundee and the Dark Blue support as a live TV audience saw them ripped to shreds by a Rangers side in rampant mood. The rout started with just a minute on the clock when Albertz found Wallace in space and the striker hit home the first of a hat-trick.

Dundee competed for the first half hour and James Grady was denied by keeper Klos, who got the slightest of touches to prevent Grady scoring in 18 minutes after the wee hit man had turned Numan and raced clear.

Minutes later Rangers were two up when Vidmar got above three defenders at the near post to head home Kanchelskis' corner.

The Dees hit back and a Robertson free kick in twenty five minutes found Falconer, who's header across the face of the goal was nodded home by Steven Tweed.

Dundee looked dangerous going forward but there were massive gaps in their rearguard and Wallace and the equally impressive Rosenthal were keen to exploit the openings. This pair were involved on the half hour as Wallace got his second from the Chilean's flick.

Five minutes later the roof fell in as Klos' punt upfield was chased by Wallace, who got there before Douglas to lob home for his hat-trick.

An Albertz thunderbolt raked home to make it five in forty minutes and on the stroke of half time Wallace teed up Rosenthal for th sixth.

Rab' Douglas said afterwards that the players were devastated at the interval and in the stands the support were shellshocked.

For a team 6-1 down Dundee got a remarkable rousing ovation from the home support as they took the field after the break, and those who hadn't gone before the interval gave the team a level of support which was amazing throughout the second half.

Damage limitation was obviously the order of the day by now and with Rangers suddenly content to play on cruise control the second period can't have made pretty viewing for the TV audience. It certainly silenced the away support who didn't get their vocal chords going again until Tweed headed into his own net while under pressure from Vidmar from van Bronckhurst's cross on 87 minutes.

James Grady had been one of the few Dees to come out of this match with any credit as he beavered away in impossible circumstances and he deserved better than to be the person who missed Dundee's easiest chance of the evening when he poked the ball wide from inside the six yard box during the closing minutes. Willie Falconer too did little wrong and Lee Sharp held an in form Kanchelskis reasonably in check.

A measure of the effort that Grady put in can be summed up in the fact that it is not often that either of the Old Firm support single out a player for abuse - Jamsie to his credit managed this.

Own final comment to the arseholes who spent their time calling for Jocky to resign - It is times like this that need the fans to get behind the team - if all you are going to shout is for the manager to resign then stay in the pub.

I for one while not agreeing with some of Jockys tactics or decisions dont believe that anyone else could do a better job with the resources on offer. The team need a lift which they always receive from the travelling support - and I can only assume that the Boo-Boys only ever attend the home games.