Dundee’s seven-game winning streak was brought to a shuddering halt after a 4-2 home defeat to struggling Arbroath.
In a remarkable contest full of twists and turns, the Red Lichties were deserving winners on an off day for Gary Bowyer’s side.
A poor start from the hosts was pounced upon by the new-look Lichties, boasting three new signings in their starting XI.
Michael McKenna’s flicked header gave the visitors the lead on nine minutes before Colin Hamilton made it 2-0 four minutes later.
The dreadful start went from bad to worse for the hosts as Ben Williamson was shown a second yellow card after just half-an-hour.
But a Paul McMullan goal before the break sparked life into the under-par Dee before a Zak Rudden penalty remarkably levelled the scores in the second half.
There was still plenty of drama to come with Arbroath taking the lead once more just two minutes later, Thomas O’Brien nodding in.
And the points were sealed – Arbroath’s first win at Dens Park since 1979 – with substitute Dale Hilson heading in a third goal of the season.
Slow, sloppy start
Dundee over the past few months have been anything but meek.
Since that comeback at Partick Thistle it’s been front-foot football with plenty of energy.
The start to this game was anything but.
The Dark Blues were out-fought, out-run and out-played by an Arbroath side with only three league wins to their name all season.
It was turgid stuff from the Dark Blues and Arbroath took full advantage.
Set-pieces
Being a threat from set-plays is one of Dundee’s strengths but it was the Red Lichties taking full advantage of them in this one.
Arbroath’s first three goals came directly from set-pieces.
The first a simple flick-on by McKenna finding it’s way beyond Adam Legzdins and into the corner.
Then the second from the opposite side but the same result – this time McKenna flicking on and the ball going in off Hamilton.
And the third saw a header missed at the front post before O’Brien headed his side back in front.
As sloppy as the Dark Blues were with the ball, that kind of defending is costly in the Championship and so it proved.
Red card
For the second game running, Dundee had a young midfielder sent off inside the opening half-hour.
This time Ben Williamson was the man heading for the naughty step.
His first yellow card was a fairly needless one, going in with a boot high in the Arbroath half.
And then just minutes later, a battle with Arbroath’s new signing Joao Balde ended with the midfielder on the deck and a second yellow card heading Williamson’s way.
It looked like sheer frustration from the on-loan Rangers man but it was a poor decision that left his side with a huge task to get back into the game.
Go for it
It was a surprise to see Gary Bowyer choose to send the same team back out for the second half rather than look to his bench.
But it was clear the message had been to go for it, despite being a man light.
McMullan and Luke McCowan remained high and wide in the positions they’d started the game in, supporting striker Rudden.
That obviously opened up the midfield with Jordan McGhee and Fin Robertson doing the work of three men.
Initially it was a gamble worth taking as the Dark Blues battled their way back into the contest through Rudden’s penalty.
For a short while, anyway.
Within two minutes, slackness at the back proved costly once more and there was no coming back this time.
Title race
Dundee’s time at the top of the Championship was short-lived.
Just one match after stepping into first place, they’ve been over-taken by in-form Queen’s Park.
Barely past the halfway stage of the season, there will still be plenty of twists and turns to come this term.
The Dark Blues will have the chance to take back top spot on Friday at Raith Rovers.
But they will need to be far, far better than this to do that.
A dreadfully poor display from Dundee.
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