Injury-hit Dundee fell to a late Jamie Walker strike as Hearts registered a 1-0 victory at Dens Park.
In a tight contest with fog descending as the match wore on, the 74th-minute strike was enough to condemn the Dark Blues to a fourth-straight Premiership defeat.
Despite a host of injury problems ahead of the clash, manager James McPake was able to name an experienced starting XI.
Jason Cummings, though, was excluded from the squad after being “unfit to train”.
However, the five-man bench had just three Premiership appearances between them, all for Alex Jakubiak, as 17-year-olds Callum Lamb and Craig Donald were named as subs.
With fog hanging low over the Dens Park pitch, the first half was a competitive affair but with few chances.
Hearts had the better opportunity as Ben Woodburn found space in the area but sent his lob over Adam Legzdins and the crossbar.
Heading towards half-time, a Dundee break saw Luke McCowan cut inside and go for goal only to see Craig Gordon beat the ball out with a low save.
Walker winner
In the second half, chances continued to be few and far between with more shouts from the crowd about Willie Collum’s refereeing than goalmouth action.
With 72 minutes on the clock, sub Jamie Walker stole into the Dundee area but poked his finish well wide of the goal.
Three minutes later Walker went one better as he gave the Jambos the lead, following in a deflected Aaron McEneff effort that rebounded off the post and into his path.
As conditions worsened, the Dark Blues pushed for an equaliser but Danny Mullen’s shot flashing past Gordon’s near post in stoppage time was as close as they came.
They do, though, remain out of the bottom two heading to Aberdeen on Boxing Day.
Teams:
Dundee: Legzdins, Kerr, Fontaine, McGhee, Elliott, McGowan, Anderson, McCowan (Jakubiak 81), McMullan, Mullen, Griffiths.
Subs not used: Lawlor, Panter, Donald, Lamb.
Hearts: Gordon, Kingsley (Cochrane 24), Souttar, Haring, Woodburn (McEneff 74), Mackay-Steven (Walker 58), Devlin, Moore, Halliday, Mckay, Halkett.
Subs not used: Stewart, Smith, Gnanduillet, Logan.
Referee: Willie Collum
Attendance: 5,874 (1,386 away)
