Dundee earned their first win at McDiarmid Park in almost seven years thanks to Amadou Bakayoko’s 79th-minute winner.
The victory turned recent history at the home of their Tayside rivals on its head.
This, though, wasn’t a classic showing from Tony Docherty’s men.
This was something different.
Courier Sport was there to analyse all the action as the Dark Blues moved back into the top six.
Grinding it out
Dundee ground out the 2-1 victory in Perth.
Across the entire 90 minutes, St Johnstone had the better of the game – Jon McCracken was certainly busier than Dimitar Mitov.
But, at this stage of the season, all that matters is the result and Dundee made sure the scoreline was in their favour.
In doing so they showed guts and a resilience that has been questioned at times this term.
You only have to look at the last visit to McDiarmid Park – Dundee played far better that day in September than they did on Saturday yet came away with just one point.
There was no late equaliser being conceded this time – even if they got a little luck at the end.
On another day Ryan McGowan’s late goal could have counted.
However, it didn’t and Dundee march on, continuing their impressive reaction since that absolute hammering dished out by Celtic not so long ago.
But for a last-gasp Robbie Deas goal for Kilmarnock, it would have been three straight wins since the night to forget at Parkhead.
Star men
Lyall Cameron is growing into a serious Premiership footballer.
Rewind just 18 months and he wasn’t even a starter in the Championship for the Dark Blues.
An incredible rise for the 21-year-old who now has 13 goals in just 54 league games for Dundee. That’s a very decent record for a young midfielder.
This goal surely tops the lot, though.
The net was empty but the ball was 46 yards away from it. A moment that required top technique, serious confidence and unerring accuracy.
Cameron pulled it off and, in doing so, followed up another goal for Scotland U/21s last week.
He’s got five for Dundee this season after eight in the Championship last term – could he still match that tally?
Elsewhere, Amadou Bakayoko grabbed a goal and an assist while Mo Sylla was a brick wall in midfield.
Countless clearances, constantly sticking his head in where it hurts and proving extremely difficult to get the ball past.
Along with Luke McCowan, this midfield three has developed into the real strength of this team.
Amadou Bakayoko
Bakayoko has been the main man up top for Dundee throughout the season.
However, lately he’d seen Curtis Main getting the nod in the starting XI.
So with Main out injured, this was an opportunity Bakayoko needed to take.
Only one goal in 2024 and none in the last eight, the key part of a striker’s output had been missing.
This strike therefore will give the Sierra Leone international a massive boost.
It was a proper striker’s goal. On the move and fully aware of where the danger area was, Bakayoko was much sharper to McCowan’s centre than any of the defenders.
With Main out for the next couple of games and competition coming from Michael Mellon, Scott Tiffoney and Zach Robinson it couldn’t have been better timed for Bakayoko.
Tim Keyes
The victory couldn’t have been better timed for Tim Keyes either.
The chairman no doubt enjoyed seeing his side victorious as they chase down one of the best finishes in his tenure.
It certainly won’t have been bad for manager Tony Docherty to show just what he’s doing with the budget he’s been given by the club’s American owners.
At a time when plans are being put in place for next season, impressing the boss can’t hurt.
Top six
Dundee are now 12 points clear of the relegation spots after moving onto 39 points, taking away any vague lingering doubts of getting dragged into trouble.
The most points any side finishing in the relegation play-off has ever managed is 36.
The focus is now all on winning the race for the top six. With this victory, the Dark Blues are back in the driving seat in that race.
Hibs have been the favourites of late but they have only two games left before the split and have fallen behind the Dee.
So two wins from three will now see the Dark Blues take a first top-half Premiership finish since 2015.
The prize is in sight.
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