ON a bleak winter’s day when it was Firhill for chills, debutant Darren O’Dea was surely the only man in Maryhill relishing the heavy snow and biting cold that proved to be the only significant obstacle Dundee would encounter.
Partick Thistle’s level of performance plummeted with the temperature, with their recent defensive solidity smashed in an opening quarter-hour that saw Paul Hartley’s visitors net three times.
For new signing O’Dea, the nerves that even experienced pros feel on a debut melted like snowflakes on floodlights with each goal. The far-travelled Irish defender, lately of India and who previously plied his trade in Canada and Ukraine, watched on as Kane Hemmings slotted home the opener from the penalty spot, after man-of-the-match Gary Harkins’ quick feet drew the retreating Liam Lindsay into a rash challenge on seven minutes.
Just three minutes later, former Firhill favourite Harkins coolly side-footed home a second, before Greg Stewart produced his trademark left-foot curler to make it 3-0, while some home fans, no doubt delayed by the near-blizzard, were still taking their seats.
David Amoo’s close-range header reduced the arrears midway through the opening period but an imperious Harkins drive into the top corner, complete with Cantona-esque celebration, effectively killed the contest.
O’Dea, tasked with replacing club captain James McPake after his recent horror injury, was scarcely tested all afternoon, despite Kris Doolan nabbing an opportunistic second for Thistle late on. The 28-year-old Irishman did limp off late on but it was merely a precaution with the game already won. O’Dea said: “I am made for the cold, I remember having to do a pre-season in Dubai and I nearly melted so it is refreshing to be back in the Scottish weather.
“We handled the conditions much better than we did. Thistle are a very good passing side and we knew they would try and play like that from the start.
“Our plan was to sit off and let them try and play their normal game in those conditions, and then hit them on the break.”
Visiting manager Hartley’s savvy preparation and his players’ street smarts ensured that only the conditions could deny Dundee the three points that would take them into the top six. At one point in the first half, with the pitch markings long since vanished under a white blanket and heavy snow falling, the game was in serious jeopardy.
“The referee would have needed security to get out of the stadium if he had abandoned it with us 3-0 goals up!” insisted O’Dea. “You always worry a bit when the snow is coming down like that and you have a good lead. But the ground staff here did a great job at half-time.”
The ground staff were great but Harkins was peerless, scoring two and winning the spot-kick. “He is obviously not a ‘training’ player because he has been dreadful all week,” joked the Dubliner. “But Gary is our best player and he was unplayable at times. He’s got the touch and vision you look for in a number 10-type player but he also the physical tools to play as a number nine.”
Thistle’s Danny Seaborne, whose central defensive partner Lindsay was sent off for a second booking, pulled no punches. “The early goals killed us and we were far too sloppy. We have got some winnable games coming up so we have to pick ourselves up for them.”
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