Dundee were held to a frustrating draw by Championship bottom side Hamilton Accies at a wet and windy New Douglas Park.
Gary Bowyer’s side came from behind to rescue a point that sees them move level with Ayr United in second place.
Hamilton had won their previous two league fixtures and started in the same fashion, Connor Smith firing in a sensational opening goal after just five minutes.
The pressure was on the Dark Blues after Queen’s Park’s victory over Ayr United on Friday night.
But they fought their way back into the game, putting the home defence under real pressure before Jordan McGhee headed in for 1-1 after 38 minutes.
From there it was largely attack against defence but despite plenty of pressure and balls into the box, there was to be no winner for the Dark Blues.
And that leaves them four points behind the Spiders at the top of the table.
Key moments
This was a day where pretty, flowing football wasn’t going to be on show.
But the goal Dundee fell behind to was an absolute beauty as Connor Smith took advantage of slackness from the visitors, rattling an unstoppable effort into the top corner.
From there it was about whether the Dark Blues could find a way through an Accies defence camped on the edge of their own box.
Dundee were getting lots of joy down their right flank first half and that’s where the equaliser came. Sam Fisher sent in the cross and Jordan McGhee planted the header into the corner.
The second half was largely attack against defence but the Dark Blues couldn’t find a way through.
Kwame Thomas came closest, seeing a second-half header brilliantly kept out of the corner by Accies goalie Ryan Fulton.
Dundee’s star man: Jordan McGhee
The versatile Dundee man has been criticised at times this season when used in the middle of the park.
But this was a performance just why he can be so useful in this position, timing a run into the area perfectly to get the equaliser for his team.
Player ratings
Legzdins 6, Fisher 7 (Clampin 75, 6), Ashcroft 7, Sweeney 7, Kerr 7, McGhee 7, Maguire 6, Williamson 7 (Anderson 75, 6), Mulligan 5 (McMullan 46, 6), McCowan 6 (Tolaj 75, 6), Thomas 6 (Jakubiak 66, 6).
Subs not used: Sharp, Byrne, Sheridan, Cameron.
Manager under the Microscope
The big question was whether there would be a debut or two for new signings and would there be a second debut for one in particular?
But the only new face in the squad was Lorent Tolaj taking a spot among the subs.
There was no Robinson and also a surprise to see Paul McMullan on the bench.
McMullan had missed much of training this week following the birth of his first child – on the same day as Dens goalie Ian Lawlor also celebrated becoming a father.
Robinson, meanwhile, only arrived on Thursday and has played five minutes of football since November so the wait for his second debut moves to Wednesday.
Luke Hannant wasn’t included as Bowyer stuck with much of the team that beat Queen’s Park last time out – Lyall Cameron replaced by Ben Williamson and Josh Mulligan in for McMullan the only changes.
At half-time Bowyer reversed that with McMullan on for Mulligan and then threw on Alex Jakubiak, Lorent Tolaj, Ryan Clampin and Max Anderson in search of a winner.
But there was no second-half breakthrough to send the travelling fans home happy.
Man in the Middle
Don Robertson had a quiet game with few big decisions to make – on the pitch.
He did flourish a couple of red cards on the sidelines after a rammy in the Hamilton dugout.
Darian MacKinnon and Sam Fisher squared up before a mass of bodies got involved.
Eventually MacKinnon and Dee goalie coach Alan Combe were sent up the tunnel.
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