Depleted Dundee were disappointed to come away with just a point after a positive performance in the 1-1 draw at Motherwell.
The Dark Blues were without 10 first-team players thanks to Covid and injuries but they put in the strongest display of Mark McGhee’s tenure.
An early Paul McMullan goal started things off on the front foot before Joe Efford levelled after 18 minutes.
However, there was to be no first win for McGhee as Dundee manager on his return to Fir Park with the Steelmen going close late on.
Bare bones
With Covid cases and close contacts hitting the Dundee squad once more, the Dark Blues were stretched thin again.
Six were missing following a positive case while skipper Charlie Adam, winger Niall McGinn and striker Cillian Sheridan missed out due to injury.
That saw Harry Sharp make a league debut in goal and Declan McDaid make his first league start since April acting as a makeshift striker.
Jordan McGhee moved into midfield while Vontae Daley-Campbell played on the right wing with Max Anderson supporting McDaid.
Lee Ashcroft made his first start since badly injuring a hamstring against this same opponent back in November while 18-year-old keeper Thomas Welsh was on the bench for the first time.
Ricki Lamie, meanwhile, started for the hosts despite agreeing a pre-contract deal to join Dundee in the summer.
McMullan magic
Despite the makeshift starting XI Dundee started brightly and grabbed a surprise lead after just six minutes.
Scotland right-back Stephen O’Donnell was caught on the ball inside the area by a sharp McMullan and the winger was unerring in his finish, curling his first league goal for Dundee into the top corner.
And it was a deserved lead for the way the Dark Blues had started. Home fans were getting restless before scores were levelled on 18 minutes.
Ryan Sweeney failed to clear and eventually Kevin van Veen cut the ball across for Joe Efford to fire past Sharp.
Bright but no winner
That bright first-half continued into the second for the visitors as McDaid turned a McMullan cross over the bar before the hour-mark.
Moments later Liam Kelly had to be on his toes to gather another McDaid shot, this time deflecting off Jordan McGhee.
Former Dee Mark O’Hara threatened at the other end, sending a fierce shot just wide before Kevin van Veen curled a good effort just over on 65 minutes.
And the home side went closest to a late winner but Sharp was equal to Kaiyne Woolery’s stoppage-time drive, making a good low save.
There was to be no winner for either side, however, as the Dark Blues remain bottom of the Premiership with nine matches remaining.
Teams:
Motherwell: Kelly, O’Donnell, Lamie, Woolery, O’Hara (Slattery 77), Van Veen, Ojala, Efford, Solholm Johansen, Donnelly, Goss (Tierney 77).
Subs not used: Fox, Carroll, Mugabi, Shaw, Cornelius, Roberts, Shields.
Dundee: Sharp, Kerr, Sweeney, Ashcroft, Marshall, Byrne, McGhee, Daley-Campbell (Chapman 57), Anderson, McMullan, McDaid (Mulligan 82).
Subs not used: Welsh, Fontaine, Robertson, Ibsen Rossi.
Referee: Andrew Dallas
Attendance: 4,435 (407 away)
