Dundee ended a four-game losing run, with a clinical defeat of Motherwell.
Goals from David Clarkson, Gary Harkins and Greg Stewart did the damage at Fir Park, with Henrik Ojamaa’s strike merely a consolation.
The Dens Park men were as clinical in attack as ‘Well were shambolic at the back, and were thoroughly deserving of their away win.
Manager Paul Hartley was forced into making a late change to his starting line-up.
Kyle Letheren was listed as keeper, as expected, but it was Scott Bain who emerged for kick-off.
Coupled with the fact the Dark Blues were without their most influential centre-back, Jame McPake, they would have been forgiven for a slow start.
It turned out to be nothing of the sort though.
The visitors went in front after just three minutes, and what a goal it was.
Clarkson swivelled on the edge of the box and lashed a first time left foot volley into the top corner.
The ex-Motherwell man was a thorn in the side of his old team in the early stages.
After he beat his man and hit the bye-line on six minutes, Clarkson’s ball across the danger area was inches too far in front of Stewart, who was sliding in for what would have been a certain goal.
It was a torrid start for Motherwell but they came more and more into the game, and Bain was soon a busy man, twice saving low from Henrik Ojamaa.
In between times, he had Kevin McBride to thank for heading a Motherwell shot off the line.
Dundee weathered this mini-storm and were two ahead on the half-hour mark.
Greg Stewart found himself in acres of space on the right hand side of the box and should have scored, but Dan Twardzik blocked his half-hearted shot.
The re-bound fell straight to Harkins, and there was nothing half-hearted about his strike, which gave Twardzik no chance.
Motherwell’s defensive slackness was exposed again on 40 minutes.
Straight from a Harkins corner, Clarkson was on his own just beyond the back post. His header though was straight at the keeper.
Dundee got their third on 58 minutes when Clarkson crossed from Stewart to side-foot home.
Motherwell’s defence was again posted missing for this goal, and some of the locals had seen enough and left the stadium.
They missed their team pulling a goal back, as on 62 minutes Ojamaa bundled the ball over the line from close range after a corner turned into a goal-mouth scramble.
An unlikely comeback never materialised however.
Bain had a few long-range shots to deal with, but other than that Dundee saw the match out in some comfort.For full reaction, see Monday’s Courier.