Rory Loy at the double as Dundee start with victory against Ross County
Dundee got their Ladbrokes Premiership campaign off to a winning start with an impressive 3-1 win against a ragged Ross County at Global Energy Stadium.
A Rory Loy double, one from the penalty spot, gave the visitors a two-goal cushion at the break.
Paul McGowan added a third just after the hour mark before County substitute Craig Curran netted what proved to be a consolation five minutes later.
The first real effort on goal came in the ninth minute when good work down the left by James McEveley set up Brian Graham but the forward failed to get his shot away first time and the ball was cleared.
The opener came at the other end when Mark O'Hara got to the byline and his cut back was swept into the net at the near post by Loy.
County had claims for a penalty turned down a minute later when Alex Schalk went down in the box under pressure from Darren O'Dea but referee Bobby Madden saw nothing amiss
Graham then fired one over the crossbar from 15 yards after he connected with a McEveley delivery.
Ian McShane replaced the injured Martin Woods in the 26th minute and with his first touch he fired over after being set up by Schalk.
Liam Boyce let fly a minute later but his shot was also too high.
Dundee continued to look a threat going forward and Loy was not far away to doubling his side's lead in the 34th minute with a low drive which flew just past Scott Fox's right-hand post.
The visitors were awarded a rather soft penalty in the 41st minute when O'Hara appeared to be pushed by McEveley from Michael Duffy's corner. Loy drove the spot kick right down the middle as Fox dived to his right.
It was all County from the start of the second half but Dundee soaked up the pressure and countered to devastating effect in the 62nd minute. Duffy latched on to a through ball from Loy and he squared it for McGowan to drill the ball under Fox and into the net.
It looked all over but County almost pulled one back when Gardyne forced a fine save from Dundee keeper Scott Bain. From the resultant 67th-minute corner Boyce's shot got the slightest of touches from Curran on its way into the bottom corner.
But there was to be no dramatic comeback as Dundee saw out the game comfortably to start the season with three points.
Source: PA
