Craig Wighton was on target for Dundee as they beat 10-man St Johnstone in the Development League. The striker’s goal separated strikes from Connor Coupe and Cedwyn Scott as Dundee left Perth with three points.
Wighton started in a strong Dundee side, with Kevin Holt, Kerr Waddell, Faissal El Bakhtaoui and Randy Wolters also in the starting 11. Zander Clark, Keith Watson and Manchester United loanee Matthew Willock started for Saints.
Saints had the first chance of the game as Kyle McClean found Jamie Docherty at the edge of the box, but his shot curled harmlessly over.
Calum Ferrie got down well to keep out Ally McCann’s strike, while his opposite number Zander Clark denied Kerr Waddell and Randy Wolters in quick succession.
Dundee lost Waddell to injury after 23 minutes, meaning an early introduction for Brian Rice, who came on at right back, allowing Jordan Piggott to move into the centre of the defence.
Dundee’s first clear cut chance was created by Faissal El Bakhtaoui, whose dinked cross was headed towards goal by Cedwyn Scott, but Zander Clark managed to tip the ball to safety.
Callum Moore played a neat one-two with Wolters moments later, but saw his shot deflect narrowly wide.
Craig Wighton cut in from the right after 41 minutes, but saw Clark keep out his low drive.
The first half was only a minute old when Ben Quigley took down Scott. The Dundee striker raced onto a volleyed pass from Jack Lambert, and the Saints defender brought him down, and was swiftly shown a red card.
Dundee were dominating the ball, and nearly opened the scoring just before the hour mark when Scott sent a header goalwards, but Clark was equal to it.
The deadlock was broken after 71 minutes when Wolters smashed a low cross to the front post, and substitute Connor Coupe was on hand to turn the ball home.
Saints nearly replied instantly but Cammy Ballantyne fired narrowly wide.
Dundee made sure of the points with six minutes left when Wighton was end through on goal. The striker jinked away from Cameron Lumsden before rounding Clark and tapping the ball into the net.
There was still enough time remaining for the Dees to add a third. Scott was sent in behind the Saints backline and made no mistake with the finish from 15 yards.
Dundee: Ferrie, Piggott, Holt (Coupe 65), Jefferies, Waddell (Rice 23), Moore, El Bakhtaoui (Anderson 82), Lambert, Scott, Wighton, Wolters
Unused Subs: Mooney
Goals: Coupe 71ā, Wighton 84ā, Scott 90ā
St Johnstone: Clark, Watson (MacKenzie 70), Thomson, McCann, Wilson, Quigley, Robertson (Lumsden 50), McClean, Struthers, Willock (Ballantyne 45), Docherty
Unused Subs: Sinclair, Brian, Wooley, Green
Report: Andrew Creegan
