Dundee 4, Cowdenbeath 0.

SPFL Championship Attendance 4751 ANOTHER bleak day on the road for Cowdenbeath and with Alloa winning against Morton Cowden cannot afford any more slip-ups.

Dundee needed the points for other reasons, at Dens Park on Saturday, and the win took them to the top of the table and on course for the title.

The injury problems somewhat cleared for the Blue Brazil and Nat Wedderburn, Darren Brownlie and Kenny Adamson were in the squad, but none started the game.

It meant that it was a little bit of a makeshift defensive line-up that began the game but before it settled they found themselves a goal down.

Jon Robertson came into the side and joined Kyle Miller and Lewis Milne in the midfield but it was here that Dundee were really strong.

They bossed possession and while Cowdenbeath had chances there were few periods where they were in charge.

Inside five minutes Dundee were ahead. Peter MacDonald created the danger and 16 year-old Craig WIGHTON fired a left foot shot from the centre of the box into the net.

This settled the Dees’ nerves and they started to really play some decent stuff and Seb Usai had to make a couple of good blocks before Cowden had their first opportunity in 25 minutes when Thomas O’Brien’s header went inches wide then seconds later Kane Hemmings fired in a shot which Kyle Letheren saved.

Cowden were back in the game and for a spell Dundee were struggling to re-assert their grip on things but Cowdenbeath needed a goal and just could not break through.

And in time added on at the break the home side got the key second goal. Gavin Rae provided the assist and martin BOYLE’s shot from the right side of the box went in.

Cowden threw on Jordan Morton and Nat Wedderburn for the second-half and they went for a goal to give them a chance of getting something from the game and O’Brien had another header which slipped wide.

Dundee were still dangerous going forward and Wighton’s shot was not far off the target and in 59 minutes came the killer third.

Nicky Riley did the spadework with a good cross and Jim McALISTER got on the end of it and his header flew past Usai.

The Blues were really chasing things now and in 65 minutes their challenge was over. BOYLE took the ball from MacDonald and his shot flew high into the net to more or less end things.

Cowden kept working away but there was little progress at the business end of the park and the title chasers comfortably played out time to record a convincing win.

Dundee: Letheren (6); Kerr (7), Dyer (7); McAlister (7), Gallagher (6), Davidson (7); Riley (7) (Conroy 79 (3), Rae (8),MacDonald (7) (Nade 73 (3), Wighton (7) (Beattie 81 (2), Boyle (9). Subs not used, Benidictus, McBride, Twardzik and Cummins.

Cowdenbeath: Seb Usai (5); Dean Brett (6), Rory McKeown (6); Thomas O’Brien (5), John Armstrong (6), Kyle Miller (5) (Nat Wedderburn (5); David Gold (6), Jon Robertson (4) (Jordan Morton (5)), Kane Hemmings (5), Greg Stewart (5) (Jamie Stevenson 61 (3)), Lewis Milne (7). Subs not used, Darren Brownlie, Kenny Adamson, Liam Callaghan and Thomas Flynn.

Referee-Craig Thomson (7).