Rotherham United maintained their 100 per cent record during their tour of Scotland as they claimed the scalp of Scottish Premiership outfit Dundee thanks to Paul Green’s second-half goal.
For the Millers first-ever trip to Dens Park, Argentine playmaker Emmanuel Ledesma was given his first start since the pre-season bow at Parkgate while Aidy White and Tom Thorpe were asked to fill the full-back berths with summer signing Joe Mattock ruled out because of an ankle injury sustained in the convincing victory over Greenock Morton at the weekend.
The visitors had the first sight of goal when Grant Ward’s deep free-kick was met by the head of Danny Collins but he could not guide his header towards goal as it failed to trouble the target.
At the other end, Richard Wood dallied in possession and Luka Tankulic tried his luck from distance but Kelle Roos was well-stationed to snuff out the danger.
Moments later, Danny Ward got on the end of good work by Aidy White to fire a snap shot which was saved at his near post by Scott Bain before White delivered a tantalising centre which saw Jordan Bowery rise highest but his header cleared the crossbar.
The Millers were looking the most likely and Matt Derbyshire suddenly found himself in the clear but after getting the ball from under his feet, Bain stood up tall to block his drilled effort.
Kane Hemmings fluffed his lines when he blazed over following a quick home counter attack before Rotherham had an inviting free-kick position when Richie Smallwood was felled by Kevin Thomson on the edge of the box paving the way for Ledesma to try his luck but Bain was well-stationed to keep the ball out.
Just before the half-hour mark, Hemmings got on the wrong side of his marker in the box following Kevin Holt’s centre but he could not direct his header goalwards before Roos was called into action to keep out Daryll Meggatt’s point-blank header in the home side’s next attack.
With half-time approaching, Dundee had faint appeals for a penalty when Simon Ferry’s bursting run into the box seemed to be halted by Wood but referee Euan Anderson waved away home protests.
Half-time:- Dundee 0 Rotherham United 0
The Millers were quick out of the blocks following the interval and Ledesma’s slide rule pass gave Danny Ward a shooting opportunity but his low drive from the edge of the box was smothered by Bain.
At the other end, Rotherham failed to clear decisively and Tankulic poked the ball through a ruck of bodies but it rolled tantalisingly wide before Roos’ weak clearance almost gave Tankulic another chance but Collins was on his toes with a timely block to prevent him shooting goalwards.
Just past the hour mark, the Millers opened the scoring when fine work from Derbyshire saw Green, who had just been introduced as a substitute, burst into the box before unleashing a rasping shot which gave Bain no chance as it hit the roof of the net.
The Millers were rarely troubled until James McPake unleashed a long range effort from distance which cleared the crossbar before Rotherham launched a quick counter attack led by birthday boy Jonson Clarke-Harris which paved the way for sub Lee Frecklington to curtl a delightful cross which saw Green head wide of the target under pressure from a home defender.
With time running out for the hosts, Philip Roberts missed an opportunity to level matters when he got on the wrong side of the retreating Millers’ backline as he looked to meet Andy Black’s inswinging cross but he failed to make contact despite being just yards out.
Full-time: Dundee 0 Rotherham United 1
Dundee- Bain, Holt, McPake, Meggatt, Thomson (Roberts 46), Ferry (Black 79), Hemmings, Ross, McGinn (Loy 62), Tankulic (Irvine 62), Colquhoun (Kerr 66). Subs- Mitchell, Konrad.
Millers- Roos, Thorpe, Collins, Wood, White (Warren 72), Ledesma (Green 58), Smallwood (Frecklington 58), G Ward, Bowery, D Ward (Clarke-Harris 61), Derbyshire (Yates 68). Subs- Collin, Halford, Richardson.
Referee- E. Anderson
Attendance:- 2092.