Joe Bevan scores for Dundee against AberdeenImage source, SNS
Image caption,

Joe Bevan's second-half strike completed a dominant Dundee victory

At a glance

  • Westley volleys Dundee into early lead from Bevan cross

  • Bevan strikes second after break

  • Dundee pick up first three points of the season as Aberdeen sustain maiden loss

ByAndy Campbell
BBC Scotland

Joe Bevan inspired Dundee to their first Scottish Premiership win of the season as lacklustre Aberdeen were soundly beaten at Dens Park.

The winger crossed for Joe Westley to volley Steven Pressley's side ahead early on and threatened to add to that lead himself before the break.

Westley should have doubled the advantage after pouncing on an error, with Dons goalkeeper Marius Muller also denying Simon Murray in the aftermath.

But Bevan gave Dundee more comfort with a stunning strike in the second period, rifling home after Charlie Reilly's cross deflected off defender Lewis Mayo's head.

And the hosts continued to dominate with Ash Hay denied by Muller twice.

Dan Happe and Kevin Nisbet had efforts save by Owen Goodman as Aberdeen improved in the final quarter but Dundee kept hold of their clean sheet.

Bevan torments as Dons stutter - analysis

Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson had spoken pre-match about the need to keep going until late in the game, which had paid dividends in the comeback win over Hearts the previous week.

Robinson would have been hoping not to face another deficit but the signs were there even before the Westley goal, with 22-year-old Bevan afforded too much space to get a shot away that flew wide early on.

It was a warning the visitors did not heed, with Bevan laying on the opening goal and consistently getting into dangerous positions on the right.

Through that outlet, Dundee should really have added to their lead in the first half. Bevan flashed the ball across the face of goal from an advanced position, with Westley waiting in the middle, then tested Muller with a firm strike.

But, after something of a rally from Robinson's visitors earlier in the second half, the winger effectively finished the contest, showing poise and power with his clinching goal.

Hay's strike after chasing a simple long ball, and a header from Finlay Robertson's cross, gave Muller more to do on a day when he was by far Aberdeen's best player.

Though more forceful the longer the game went on, the damage had been done for Aberdeen, with their promising start to the season coming to an abrupt halt.

What they said

Figure caption,

'Proudest I've been since coming to this club'

Dundee manager Steven Pressley: "The bottom line is I could run out of superlatives describing their performance.

"To a man, they were incredible and it's probably the proudest I've been after any Dundee performance since coming to this club.

"Really, really pleased. To ultimately get our first three points of the season early in the season's very important."

Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson: "An incredibly disappointing performance. I didn't recognise the team. We didn't do the basics right and it's not like us.

"We didn't outfight them, we didn't outrun them, we didn't outbattle them - they did the opposite to us and their front four set the press and then we couldn't cope with it."

What's next?

These two teams meet again, this time at Pittodrie, in the Premier Sports Cup second round on Saturday, 15 August (15:00 BST).

Player of the match

Number: 27 J. Bevan
Average rating 7.76
Number: 27 J. Bevan
Average Rating: 7.76
Number: 5 O. Bevan
Average Rating: 7.22
Number: 7 D. Wright
Average Rating: 7.08
Number: 4 R. Astley
Average Rating: 6.89
Number: 3 I. Odutayo
Average Rating: 6.76
Number: 1 O. Goodman
Average Rating: 6.72
Number: 19 J. Westley
Average Rating: 6.72
Number: 15 S. Murray
Average Rating: 6.71
Number: 48 E. Hamilton
Average Rating: 6.65
Number: 18 C. Reilly
Average Rating: 6.65
Number: 8 R. Finnigan
Average Rating: 6.58
Number: 11 A. Hay
Average Rating: 6.29
Number: 2 B. Halliday
Average Rating: 6.20
Number: 17 Ž. Bešir
Average Rating: 6.19
Number: 14 A. Forrest
Average Rating: 5.85
Number: 10 F. Robertson
Average Rating: 5.84

After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.