Dundee captain Joe Shaughnessy wasted no time in having a word with gutted youngster Jack Wilkie after Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Airdrie.
The 20-year-old made his first start for Dundee, just his third appearance in the first team, and acquitted himself well for much of the game.
However, he was adjudged to have pushed Josh O’Connor in the box by referee Colin Steven in the closing minutes.
The resulting spot-kick gave Airdrieonians player-manager Rhys McCabe the chance to win the game for his side.
‘Jack has to learn’
A harsh learning curve for Wilkie says experienced defender Shaughnessy.
“At the time I thought the penalty looked soft,” the Dens skipper said.
“There is probably enough contact to give the referee a decision to make.
“Jack has to learn from that as he is a young lad. I have been there plenty of times and it won’t be the last time he gives a penalty away.
“You have to just put it behind you and go again. He had done well and he has looked good in pre-season, I have been impressed by him.
“It is one of those things that can happen and I have already spoken to him about it.
“I said to him that it happens to everyone, I know I have certainly done it a few times over the years.
“You learn and make sure you don’t do it again.”
‘We have to win’
The reverse leaves Dundee in fourth place in the group on three points with the Diamonds top with six.
But Shaughnessy admits the display fell short.
“In the end the performance wasn’t good enough,” he added.
“We didn’t cause them enough problems or create enough to win. Airdrie didn’t either and a draw would have been a fair result, but we gave away a soft penalty and it cost us.
“We had plenty of the ball and I thought we were fairly comfortable at the back and they didn’t worry us but they might say the same about us.
“We’ll have to win the next two games to try to get through.
“We might need to be the best second place team or hope that Airdrie slip up now.
“It’s not ideal and you don’t want it to be in someone else’s hand but that’s how it is.”
Dundee are next in action at home to Dumbarton on Wednesday, 24 hours after Inverness host Airdrieonians.
