Dundee’s battling display at home to Rangers gave hope that their fight against relegation isn’t yet over.
The Dark Blues do, though, remain four points adrift at the bottom of the table after seeing a first-half lead overcome by the champions.
Christie Elliott’s early header took advantage of a lacklustre start from the Gers, who missed a first-half penalty.
The Europa League quarter-finalists ramped up the pressure in the second half with Aaron Ramsey equalising before Connor Goldson snatched a winner on 86 minutes.
Fighting start
Mark McGhee rang the changes with five new faces in the starting line-up.
Goalkeeper Ian Lawlor returned despite good showings by youngster Harry Sharp while there was a first start for Christie Elliott in almost two months.
Max Anderson dropped to the bench while Danny Mullen missed out with a knock.
Rangers, meanwhile, changed four from their trip to Red Star in midweek with Welsh international star Ramsey returning to midfield.
After the meek nature of their loss last weekend, Dundee were far more up for the battle this time around.
Lining up 5-4-1, the home wing-backs combined to give the Premiership’s bottom side a surprise lead.
Jordan Marshall down the left swung in a peach of a cross, taking out Allan McGregor, that found the head of Elliott to nod in from close range.
Those two combined again shortly afterward as the Rangers defence creaked.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side were all at sea, struggling to cope with the bobbly Dens pitch.
But they did go close through an Alfredo Morelos header and Connor Goldson volley.
And they were given the opportunity to level matters from the spot after referee Bobby Madden harshly penalised Jordan McGhee for a slight pull on Morelos.
Justice was done, however, as the usually reliable James Tavernier smashed the spot-kick over the bar.
Pressure pays
As expected, the visiting champions upped their game and began to lay siege to the Dundee goal in the second half with Lawlor a busy, busy man.
After saving from Morelos and then a top stop to deny a Ramsey header, Lawlor was finally beaten on 64 minutes.
It was that man Ramsey who broke the home side’s resolve, knocking in at the far post after Kemar Roofe sent the ball across goal.
Just when it looked like Dundee had weathered the storm in the second half and were looking fairly comfortable, Goldson struck.
The goal had an element of fortune about it as Roofe’s sclaffed effort looped up for the centre-back to knock the ball past Lawlor with just four minutes to go.
The Dark Blues ended the game with Ryan Sweeney as a makeshift target man but there was no coming back.
That saw McGhee’s first match in the dugout end in defeat but with signs there might still be life in this campaign yet.
Teams:
Dundee: Lawlor, Kerr, Sweeney, McGhee, Marshall, Byrne, McGowan (Anderson 53), Elliott, McDaid (McCowan 83), McMullan, Rudden (McGinn 72).
Subs not used: Sharp, Mulligan, Robertson, Daley-Campbell, Ibsen Rossi.
Rangers: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Helander (Sakala 46), Bassey, Sands (Roofe 64), Lundstram, Arfield (Aribo 46), Ramsey (Kamara 85), Kent, Morelos (Balogun 88).
Subs not used: McLaughlin, Barisic, Jack, Amad.
Referee: Bobby Madden
Attendance: 7,669
