Key Takeaways
- Dundee now sit six points clear of the relegation play-off position with three games left to play.
- Striker Joe Westley scored the only goal of the match in the 12th minute to secure the three points.
- St Mirren have dropped into the relegation play-off spot after failing to score for the umpteenth time this season.
Dundee took a giant step towards safety in the Scottish Premiership after beating St Mirren 1-0 at Dens Park on Saturday afternoon. A crowd of 5,379 watched as Joe Westley’s early strike proved enough to separate the two sides in a tense relegation clash.
The young forward found the net in the 12th minute. He met a cross from Cam Congreve on the right side and fired the ball home off the inside of the near post. The goal was his first for the club and could not have come at a better time.
The result moves Dundee six points clear of the relegation play-off place with only three fixtures remaining. For St Mirren, however, the defeat is a heavy blow. They have now slipped into the dreaded play-off spot and must fight to avoid dropping out of the top flight.
Tony Docherty made four changes to the side that lost the derby last weekend. Drey Wright, Brad Halliday, Tony Yogane and captain Simon Murray all started, replacing Imari Samuels, Scott Wright, Billy Koumetio and Ash Hay.
The visitors also shuffled their pack. Interim boss Craig McLeish brought in Jayden Richardson, Scott Tanser and Roland Idowu for Declan John, the banned Alex Gogic and the injured Jonah Ayunga.
The Dark Blues started the brighter of the two teams. Yan Dhanda forced a save from on-loan goalkeeper Ross Sinclair before Westley broke the deadlock. St Mirren nearly levelled immediately when Richard King headed a Dhanda delivery against his own post.
Before the break, the Buddies appealed for a penalty when Mark O’Hara went down inside the box. The referee consulted the Video Assistant Referee, but no spot-kick was given.
After half-time, St Mirren controlled much of the play but lacked a cutting edge. Mikael Mandron tested Jon McCracken with a fierce drive from 22 yards, while Richardson also forced the keeper into action with a blistering strike from the right.
Dundee suffered a setback in the 66th minute when McCracken pulled up with an injury and had to leave the pitch. Kieran O’Hara came on to make his debut between the sticks.
The substitute keeper was rarely troubled, though he watched nervously as Mandron headed just wide from an Allan Campbell cross. In the 89th minute, substitute Samuels made a crucial clearance off the line to preserve Dundee’s lead. Sinclair then produced a stunning stop to deny Hay in stoppage time, but the hosts held on for a priceless win.
Speaking after the final whistle, Docherty praised his players for responding to recent criticism. “I reminded them of some of the accusations made about our performance last week,” he said. “Words don’t have an effect, you have to do it out there with a performance.”
McLeish was left to rue his side’s profligacy once again. “We don’t score enough goals and are not clinical enough in the final third,” he admitted. “I think the top scorer is on four or five, so we have to carry that load throughout the team. Next week was always going to be a massive game against Kilmarnock. It’s still in our own hands.”