Dundee 2 Raith 1

Dundee 2 Raith Rovers 1

DARK BLUES matchwinner Gary MacKenzie took a bit of stick from his team-mates after spectacularly converting his first goal for 18 months.

The big defender took advantage of a piece of Leigh Griffiths magic to backheel his side in front for the second time in the game.

MacKenzie said: "The boys have been giving me pelters for the Johan Cruyff goal.

"Mind you I don't care how they go in as long as they count - and this one was an important one for the team.

"I should really be scoring more. It's too long since my last one, because we can do with goals from every department of the side."

MacKenzie's contribution helped extend Dundee's unbeaten league run to five games - and rocketed them past Ross County to the top of the First Division table.

But this was a success earned out of heroics at both ends of the Dens Park pitch.

MacKenzie and Colin McMenamin may have netted the all-important goals, but, not for the first time recently, Dundee thanked their lucky stars for the resilience of their back lot.

Jim Lauchlan starred on his return to central defence after injury, but it was again the outstanding handling of goalkeeper Tony Bullock which mattered most.

The experienced keeper produced three saves of real quality, the last of which in the dying minutes was the pick. Raith midfielder Allan Walker was all but celebrating an 89th-minute leveller, before the English goalie denied him with a super full-length stop from his netbound header.

That was the final straw as far as the visitors were concerned as they ended up pointless from a game they dominated for long spells, especially in the second-half.

Dens Park boss Jocky Scott said: "We have to make sure in future that once we are ahead, we are not left clinging on.

"Obviously I'm delighted to be top of the table, but any team in that position should be showing more than we did on this occasion.

"It's still early days in the season, but we are still happy to have come out on top in what was an important game for us.

"Now we can turn our attentions to Rangers' Cup visit on Tuesday, when we will give it our best shot".

Disappointingly for Dundee, young striker Griffiths limped out of the ground after the game, and is clearly a doubt to face the Ibrox men.

Rovers manager John McGlynn was obviously disappointed not to have taken something from a game his side were prominent in for long periods.

He said: "We planned to come here and attack, and we did just that.

"I reckon that we were unlucky not to have taken something back with us. My credit goes out to the players, because on another day we could have won it".

Dundee's positive start earned them an early advantage when McMenamin grabbed his 20th goal in the Dark Blue in his 50th start.

His 15th-minute opportunist volley ended an attack inspired by Paul McHale's positive burst from midfield.

But inside five minutes the Fifers were level when a link-up between Gregory Tade and Allan Walker lined up Darren Smith for his first Raith goal.

MacKenzie then took centre stage his cheeky finish from Griffith's splendid assist ten minutes before the interval.

But it was a different story thereafter and Bullock was the home hero with outstanding saves to deny first Johnny Russell then substitute Mark Ferry.

And while David McGurn stopped well from subs Gary Harkins and Sean Higgins, nothing quite topped Bullock's last-gasp contribution.

Ross County 2 Partick Thistle 2

IAN McCALL admitted he was ready to haul off Liam Buchanan just 30 SECONDS before the striker's 10th strike of the season salvaged a point.

Thistle boss McCall's patience was wearing thin after watching his top scorer commit several howlers in front of goal.

But Buchanan spared himself by lashing home Partick's second goal to level against 10-man County after 72 minutes.

It was a game both managers felt they should have won, with County gaffer Derek Adams incensed by Martin Scott's red card on the hour.

But McCall insisted: "Ross County are a good side and played well, but from our perspective, the game would have been over by half-time had Liam had his shooting boots on.

"We felt we merited all three points and to go in 1-0 down at half-time was a total injustice.

"What people won't know is that Chris Doolan had his top off ready to come on for Liam 30 seconds before he scored.

"Liam's always liable to score and he knows himself his finishing wasn't great today. On another day, he could have had a hat-trick, but he just always puts himself in there.

"That's 10 for the season and I think he's only started 12 games."

After the sunshine training camp in Marbella, County's week was clouded by that Scott red card and a tumble from top spot. In an incident-packed first half played in pelting rain, Garry Wood and Michael Gardyne tested Jon Tuffey from distance early on.

Gardyne was soon buzzing and involved in most of County's best play, but it was Partick who should have taken the lead after nine minutes when David Rowson's effort was spilled by Michael McGovern.

Buchanan slid in to apply the finish, but skewed the ball wide. Thistle took charge towards half-time with Alan Archibald's fierce 25-yard strike flying a yard wide.

Archibald also had a header tipped over the bar by McGovern after the County defence failed to deal with a Buchanan cross.

Mark Corcoran then blazed past three challenges on the left after 35 minutes only to drive low across the face of goal with no takers.

Buchanan's real howler came two minutes later when he failed to connect properly with Rowson's cross in front of goal - and the home side made Thistle pay for their missed chances five minutes before the break.

Gardyne found space to take a Garry Wood pass and struck a ferocious left-foot shot in off the post from 25 yards.

County were reduced to 10 men after 57 minutes when Scott, booked earlier for dissent, took down Mark Corcoran outside the County box.

Partick quickly capitalised with substitute Chris Erskine equalising just two minutes after coming on, firing over McGovern after a sweeping move down the right.

Paul Lawson restored County's lead in spectacular fashion after 69 minutes with a wonderful rising strike from 25 yards. But it lasted barely three minutes before Buchanan made amends for his earlier misses with a clinical 15-yard finish.

There was only one likely winner in the closing stages with Partick piling on the pressure. But Adams insisted: "We created so many chances and only one team was going to win it for me.

"If Martin's second one is a booking, fair play, but the referee has then got to book others in the game. It's totally baffling and strange and I get annoyed."

Queen of the South 3 Airdrie 0

AIRDRIE boss Kenny Black admitted his side couldn't cope with Queens or the woeful weather as they slumped to yet another demoralising defeat.

The Diamonds didn't come close to recording their first win of the season at gale-lashed Palmerston.

Black said: "The opposition adapted to the conditions much better than we did. We had a bright start then lost two goals in five minutes of madness and you simply cannot do that in this league."

Queens broke the deadlock in 27 minutes when the ball fell to David Lilley during a goalmouth scramble and he turned it home with his knee on his 100th appearance for the club.

The Dumfries side went further ahead four minutes later when Derek Holmes saw a shot palmed down by keeper Stephen Robertson and Stewart Kean cracked in the rebound.

Queens sealed it when Dennis Wyness headed home a cross from Barry Wilson seven minutes from time.

Gordon Chisholm's men had lost two of their previous three games but he said: "This win keeps us up there in the bunch chasing the top spot.

"There's no doubt we were the better side in deplorable weather with the wind playing tricks with the ball."

Dunfermline 3 Morton 1

DUNFERMLINE staged a surging second-half show to notch their first back-to-back wins at East End Park for more than a year.

Goals from Joe Cardle, David Graham and Steven Bell gave the Fife side the points after a double substitution from Pars boss Jim McIntyre on the hour mark tipped the game their way.

The only real chance in the first period came when Bell headed a Greg Ross cross to Andy Kirk but Colin Stewart pulled off a great save to foil the striker.

Ton started the brighter after the break and only a super save from Greg Fleming kept Peter Weatherson's effort out.

Then came McIntyre's inspired switch when he sent on Willie Gibson and Nicky Phinn, and seconds later Cardle sneaked in at the back post to head home a Graham cross for the opening goal.

It was 2-0 not long after when a slip by Stewart Greacen allowed Graham a clear run on goal and the winger made no mistake with his finish.

Morton weren't out of it, however, and they pulled one back when Ryan McGuffie headed into an empty net after a header from Brian Wake was superbly saved by Fleming.

But Bell sealed victory for the home side four minutes from time in a counter attack.

A delighted McIntyre said: "We did not play football and we still got three points. We haven't done enough of that in the last couple of seasons - other teams always seem to beat us when it is a scrappy game.

"We had to dig it out today. I was really proud of the players and thought they were great in the second-half."

Morton caretaker manager James Grady was not happy with his side's performance in what could be his last game in charge of the Cappielow side.

He said: "Dunfermline came out and wanted it more than us. I felt we would be that team so it is disappointing."

Ayr 1 Inverness 5

DEADLY Richie Foran grabbed his first league hat-trick and then dedicated the win to boss Terry Butcher.

Adam Rooney and Dougie Imrie also got on the score sheet whilst silky Spaniard Dani Sanchez weighed in with three assists.

Irishman Foran said: "In the last few weeks the ball hasn't been bouncing for us but today we were very professional and got what we deserved.

"All over the pitch we were excellent but I think myself and the team can still do a lot better.

"I'd like to dedicate the win to the gaffer who has had it hard at home where we haven't been performing."

Butcher admitted that the lack of a home win this season is playing on his mind and said: "I have tried every trick in the book. Maybe I'll have to take the players away to a hotel the day before for it's quite bizarre.

"I don't think I've ever been 4-1 up at half-time before but it's a nice feeling."

Foran started the rout in 11 minutes when he slid home a Sanchez cross but Ayr hit back two minutes later when keeper Ryan Esson sliced a clearance off Mark Roberts and he fired into an empty net.

But three goals in 10 minutes had Caley in cruise control as Ayr fell apart. In 15 minutes Rooney restored the lead after more great play by Sanchez.

The Spaniard then set up Caley's third which Imrie coolly slotted home. It was 4-1 in 25 minutes when keeper Craig Samson could only push out a shot from David Proctor and Foran nodded home.

Foran competed his hat-trick in 57 minutes when he climbed high to nod home a cross from Ross Tokely.

Furious Ayr boss Brian Reid hit out: "Schoolboy defending cost us all over the park. It's unacceptable and is an embarrassing defeat because I feel we are much better than that.

"I'm still trying to bring in a couple of players and I'll be trying even harder after that."

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