Tony Docherty admits his Dundee side are “really hurting” after throwing away a golden chance to clinch a top-six finish.
Leading 2-0 with 79 minutes on the clock, the Dark Blues were guaranteed to finish sixth thanks to St Johnstone winning at Hibs.
However, Motherwell left a battered and bruised Dens Park pitch with all three points thanks to three late goals from Georgie Gent, Theo Bair and a stoppage-time strike from Moses Ebiye.
The goal that made it 2-1 through Gent came from a VAR-awarded handball against Joe Shaughnessy and Docherty points to that as the moment the game swung in the visitors’ favour.
“It’s a sore one. We’re really hurting,” he said.
“Obviously you don’t know others results at the time but we were 14 minutes from top-six.
“Goals change games and they get momentum from the VAR decision.
“I haven’t seen it back but nobody claims for the penalty.
“We were really comfortable at 2-0 so we should see the game out.
“Certainly the momentum swings on the VAR decision but I would trust my players to see that out.
“I won’t be critical of them because they have been brilliant all season.
“The one positive to come in from the disappointing last 14 minutes and see the league table and realise we still have an opportunity to do what we need to do.”
Resilience
Dundee do indeed remain sixth in the Premiership table despite the defeat.
One win from the final two matches against Rangers at home and Aberdeen away in the next eight days will be enough.
And Docherty wants to see a response to this late collapse.
“(The defending) is something we’ll address as a group. We’ll analyse that,” the Dens boss added.
“We have to realise we still have a big opportunity here this week.
“We reset. All season the team have shown real resilience and I am looking for that again.
“There is a dressing-room that is really hurting but we can’t dwell on that.
“We should have seen that game out, even at 2-1.
“But that’s history now – we have to look ahead and look at the final two matches to make sure it is positive going forward.”
Pitch
All eyes pre-match were on the state of the Dens Park pitch after a dramatic week.
Two pitch inspections were needed to get the game played but finally just after 1pm the referee gave the surface the thumbs up.
“It was pleasing the game was on,” Docherty said.
“Listen, there’s nothing I would like is a pristine surface, particularly with the way I want my team to play.
“But we didn’t have that so we need to make sure we play the conditions and see the game out.
“That’s something we will be addressing.”
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