Dundee’s Premiership survival hopes have been dealt a huge blow after losing 1-0 to St Mirren in the dying moments at Dens Park.
Connor Ronan’s 93rd minute winner means the Dark Blues remain at the foot of the table, a point behind St Johnstone.
It wasn’t a case of third time lucky for The Dee, with the game previously postponed twice due to the weather.
Dundee, with a Covid hit side, rode their luck at times and never really troubled the Buddies backline or keeper with just the one shot on target.
St Mirren came into the game in the second half and The Dee defence were under constant pressure in the closing stages.
On the whole, the visitors were probably worthy of their win with Ronan at the right place at the right time to head home at the death.
Changes
The Dark Blues were without boss Mark McGhee who tested positive for Covid.
The 64-year-old was the latest Dens Covid case after the side was hit by an outbreak.
However, the side welcomed the return of Luke McCowan after his isolation period ended.
McCowan returned to the starting line-up as one of three changes to the side’s draw with Motherwell.
Niall McGinn also returned to the side from injury, but the game came too soon for captain Charlie Adam.
Dundee were forced into a late change in the warm up with Zeno Ibsen Rossi replacing Lee Ashcroft who dropped out due to illness.
Little quality in first half
The Dark Blues started the half the brighter of the two sides. Makeshift striker Declan McDaid led the line for the second game in a row and looked a handful for the St Mirren defenders but saw little chances present themselves to him.
In reality, there was little quality in the opening period.
Harry Sharp, who was making just his second Dundee appearance, was given an early confidence boost as he did well to collect a high ball in the box.
Moments later he was quick off his line to stop Greg Kiltie who beared down on goal.
For the home side, Max Anderson tried a shot on goal but the St Mirren defence were equal to it.
Dundee’s first real effort on goal came on 29 minutes. McGinn whipped in a corner which was met by Jordan McGhee on the six-yard box, but the stand-in skipper couldn’t keep his attempt under the bar.
The home side went close again when Cammy Kerr beat Scott Tanser down the right. Kerr fired in a low cross but Dean Lyness in goal was quick to get down to it.
The game then soon sparked into life as it was the visitors’ turn to have a shot at goal.
Eamonn Brophy slipped a neat ball to Jordan Jones down the left.
Sharp began to run out to clear but stopped in no man’s land as the Buddies’ attacker tried to lob the keeper.
But Brophy got it all wrong and the young stopper caught the ball with ease.
Brophy again caused problems on 35 minutes, this time he saw his shot cleared off the line by Rossi, with Sharp again grateful to collect the ball after some head tennis in the box.
From there it turned into a midfield scrap with both sides unable to make the breakthrough as the half came to a close.
Late heartbreak
Dundee started the second half brightly and were unlucky not to be ahead on 50 minutes.
McGinn chipped a free-kick into the box, Rossi headed the ball into the six-yard area and Joe Shaughnessy, looking to clear, blasted just over his own bar.
Just as the Dee were looking to make the most of their early possession, they so nearly found themselves a goal down on 60 minutes.
Brophy found his way through but was denied twice at close range by Rossi.
His second effort deflected across the face of goal and Jordan Jones look certain to score but somehow blasted over from just six-yards out.
Moments later, St Mirren were appealing for a penalty with the ball appearing to strike Ryan Sweeney on the hand.
Jones’s cross found its way past Brophy but bounced up, striking the Dundee defender before falling nicely for Sharp to collect.
Despite pleas from the away fans, referee John Beaton was uninterested.
The Buddies began to turn it up a notch with Dundee almost camped in their own half with the Dark Blues’ defence having to deal with a number of balls into their box.
St Mirren continued to threaten and Brophy was left with his head in his hands on 86 minutes after watching his header go just wide of the post.
The Buddies had the ball in the net on 90 minutes through Richard Tait, but the goal was ruled out for a push on Kerr.
In the 93rd-minute they had the ball in the net again and this time it did count.
Jay Henderson played an inch-perfect cross which was just too high for Rossi and landed perfectly on Conor Ronan’s head to give the away side all three points.
The result leaves Dundee a point behind St Johnstone at the foot of the table with eight games left to go.
Line-ups
Dundee: Sharp; Kerr, Sweeney, Ibsen Rossi, Marshall; McGhee, McDaid (Rudden,61), McCowan (Byrne,61), McMullan, Anderson (Daley-Campbell, 84); McGinn.
Unused subs: Welsh, Fontaine, Chapman, Mulligan, Elliott.
St Mirren: Lyness; Tait, Shaughnessy, Tanser, Dunne; Power, Gogic, Jones; Kiltie (Henderson, 78), Ronan, Brophy (Greive, 87).
Unused subs: Urminsky, McCarthy, Flynn, Main, Erhahon, Fraser, Smyth.
