Dundee put in a disciplined and hard working performance to grind out an important 2-1 win against St Johnstone in Perth today. Lyall Cameron gave the Dee an early lead with a memorable goal of stunning quality from fully 40 yards. St Johnstone were worth their equaliser, a spectacular goal by Adama Sibeleh after an hour, but the Dark Blues dug in and Amadou Bakayo scored a late winner to delight the travelling supporters and send the Dee back home along the A90 with all three points.
There was only one change to the Dee’s starting eleven from the team that beat Aberdeen. Amadou Bakayo replaced the injured Curtis Main in attack.
The Dark Blues attacked right from the kick off and had their first shot within 30 seconds. Lyall Cameron ran into the penalty area and passed to Scott Tiffoney whose shot was blocked.
Dundee’s early attacks were fluent with slick, confident passing and neat movement. However, the opening goal after six minutes, owed everything to opportunism, quick thinking and superb technique rather than clever football.
Saints keeper, Dimitar Mitov, ran out of his penalty area, trying to beat Tiffoney to a high ball. He got there first but only headed the ball straight at Amadou Bakayoko, who tried to lob the keeper. Mitov blocked with a stong suspicion of handball. Bakayoko retrieved the ball and passed sideways to Lyall CAMERON who coolly scored with a delightfully flighted shot first time shot from 40 yards, or was it 45?) over the retreating keeper and covering defenders. (Edit: confirmed as 46 yards by the BBC). Referee Iain Sneddon already had his whistle in his mouth to blow for handball against Mitov, but happily for the Dee he played a fine advantage to let Cameron score.
The Dee were worth their early lead and started to play some pleasing football as their hosts struggled to get into the game. Dundee didn’t score again and Saints started to force their way back into a match that was threatening to drift away from them. They had been unable to play their way through Dundee on the ground but had more joy with simple route one football which gave the Dark Blues’ defence a few uncomfortable moments.
One long ball gave Gallacher a chance to lob the advancing Jon McCracken, but the Dee keeper touched the bal away for a corner. Dundee could only partially clear the corner and Keitjens smashed a shot from 22 yards. McCracked saved well, pushing the ball away for another corner.
St Johnstone finished the half with a hard working 15 minutes, keeping the Dundee defenders on their toes. The Dark Blues defended well in the penalty area, however, although the Dark Blues might have been tighter around the box.
The Dee opened the second half with a fast attacking move which ended with Bakayoko’s shot being blocked and Tiffoney flashing a shot inches past the post and into the side netting.
St Johnstone put in a spell of serious pressure winning a series of corners. Dundee managed them well, but Saints were getting too many crossing opportunities and on the hour mark they got a break that their effort deserved. A cross was blocked, spun up into the air invitingly, and Adama SIDIBEH, with his back to goal scored with a spectacular overhead kick from eight yards.
Dundee immediately sent on Michael Mellon and Jordan McGhee for Scott Tiffoney and Dara Costelloe. The Dee handled the setback of Saints’ equaliser well, slowing the game down for a spell and preventing the home side building momentum.
Luke McCowan whipped a 20 yard shot narrowly wide as Dundee probed for a second goal. In the last 15 minutes of normal time the game opened up with both sides looking capable of grabbing a winner.
Ryan Howley came on for Owen Dodgson as Dundee switched to four at the back with Aaron Donnelly moving to left back. That turned out well because Donnelly was in an advanced position to play a part in the winning goal after 80 minutes.
Donnelly was in space wide on the left and played the ball in for McCowan who pinged a low pass across the face of goal. BAKAYOKO stabbed a low shot home from a few yards out and sent the travelling Dees behind the goal into a noisy, ecstatic fervour.
The Dark Blues had to withstand more pressure from Saints in the closing minutes. They coped well for the most part, but with two glaring exceptions when they rode their luck. Substitute Graham Carey was allowed too much space to get the ball onto his left foot 20 yards out and he hit a low shot against the post,
Benjamin Kimpioka tried to emulate Sidibeh with a bicycle kick. His mishit effort looped over McCracken and came back off the crossbar. The keeper seemed to have gathered it, but there was a pile up of bodies right on the goal line with the ball apparently over the line at one point. The refereee awarded Dundee a free kick, but a VAR review was announced to decide whether a goal should be awarded or the offence confirmed. After a delay the referee was sent to the screen, but he stood by his original decision – a push by Ryan McGowan on Aaron Donnelly that sent the Dee defender into McCracken. knocking him over the line.
Happily that was the end of the excitement and the Dark Blues took care of the added time without adding to the supporters’ stress levels. Dundee have played better this season and failed to win, here in September for example, but today they delighted the travelling Dees by grinding out a win through effort, concentration and discipline when a difficult pitch and hard working opponents made it hard to play pretty football.
A defeat was perhaps tough on Saints, but Dundee managed to take the points because they had better, creative players and they provided the moments of quality that swung the game Dundee’s way.
This was the Dee’s 10th league win of the season, an optimistic target last July and it puts them in a strong position for the run in to the split.
St Johnstone 4-4-1-1
Mitov
Keitjens, McGowan, Gordon, Robinson
Matt Smith, Kucheriavyi, Phillips, Gallacher (Carey 82)
Clark (May 82)
Sidibeh (Kimpioka 77)
Unused subs: Richards (gk), Considine, Crawford, Franczak, Connor Smith.
Goal: Sidibeh (60).
Booked: Kucheriavyi (foul on Sylla), Robinson (off the ball incident), Smith (dissent), McGowan (foul on Bakayoko),.
Dundee FC 3-5-2
McCracken
Portales, Shaughnessy (c), Donnelly
Costelloe (McGhee 61), Cameron (Lamie 87), Sylla, McCowan, Dodgson (Howley 77)
Bakayoko, Tiffoney (Mellon 61)
Unused subs: Sharp (gk), Astley, Robinson, Robertson, Boateng.
Goals: Cameron (6), Bakayoko (80).
Booked: Mellon (foul on Keitjens).
Referee: Iain Snedden. Assistants: Jonathan Bell, John Stewart. Fourth Official: Alan Muir. VAR: Greg Aitken. Assistant VAR: John McCrossan.
Attendance: 6,691.
Report: James Christie.
