A much-improved Dundee display secured a vital three points in their promotion bid as they saw off third-placed Ayr United at Dens Park.
Manager Gary Bowyer changed approach by partnering Zach Robinson and Alex Jakubiak together up front and the gamble paid off.
After creating little to no chances at Partick Thistle at the weekend, the Dark Blues were in creative mood.
They took the lead through captain Ryan Sweeney as he nodded a Luke McCowan corner beyond Charlie Albinson in the Ayr goal.
Just four minutes later it was 1-1 as Dipo Akinyemi sprinted clear to notch his 22nd goal of the season.
Chances kept coming for both sides but early in the second period Dundee found the killer touch as Robinson teed up Jakubiak to make it 2-1.
And the points were sealed with 10 minutes remaining as McCowan cut inside his man and found the far corner to finish off his old side.
Victory sees the Dark Blues now four points behind league leaders Queen’s Park with seven matches each to play.
Sweeney
Dundee skipper Ryan Sweeney had an eventful opening 17 minutes.
First he rose highest in the opposing penalty area to flick home a well-taken goal for a fourth strike of the season.
That was on 13 minutes, four minutes later and a gamble at the back proved costly.
A hopeful throughball saw the defender and Akinyemi in a chase for the ball.
Sweeney looked favourite but dived in to win the ball early and the striker skipped away through on goal.
His finish was unerring and the Dundee skipper’s joy at opening the scoring was short-lived.
A second-half booking for pulling back Akinyemi showed how difficult an evening the league’s top scorer gave the Dundee backline.
But Sweeney shook off the disappointment of the Ayr goal and led his team to a big victory.
Jakubiak and Robinson
Dundee fans have been calling for Alex Jakubiak to take the pitch with frontman Zach Robinson.
Since they combined to take Cove Rangers apart at the start of February, the pair had only spent eight minutes together on the pitch.
And they got their wish in this one – as a strike pairing.
Immediately Dundee were a far more dangerous outfit than their previous two matches against Partick Thistle and Cove Rangers.
The opening goal may not have involved either Jakubiak or Robinson but they played their part in a couple of chances that led up to the corner.
And then they combined to deadly effect early in the second period.
Robinson got the assist and what an assist it was. The big striker is excellent at rolling his marker, he did that and then beat another defender before feeding Jakubiak to fire beyond the goalie.
Open
Going 4-4-2, though, has its risks. A man down in the middle of the park leaves your team open defensively and Ayr had plenty chances of their own.
It was a good old-fashioned contest with two teams going at it with space to play in.
Across the piece, though, Dundee had the better of the chances, even if there were some hairy moments to endure.
A central midfield pairing of Jordan McGhee and Lyall Cameron would have appeared an unlikely one this time last year.
And it doesn’t scream defensive solidity but McGhee’s non-stop running and Cameron’s quality on the ball dove-tailed well.
Late on, Bowyer sent on Max Anderson and the lesser-spotted Shaun Byrne to see the game out.
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