Dundee got their Premiership season off to a losing start with an unlikely 2-1 defeat to newly-promoted St Mirren in Paisley.
An entertaining first half saw the Buddies take the lead on just nine minutes through Danny Mullen’s header.
The visitors hit back quickly, though, and Elton Ngwatala equalised just three minutes later with a terrific shot that hit the net via a post.
Sofien Moussa should have given the hosts a 2-1 lead on 58 minutes but home keeper Craig Samson saved his penalty, only for the hosts to nick all three points thanks to Mullen’s second goal six minutes from time.
After some pressure from the hosts in the opening stages, the first decent chance fell to Dundee’s Jean Mendy, whose header off Ngwatala’s cross was saved by Samson.
On six minutes, the visitors broke upfield again but Moussa pulled his shot wide of the far post.
Having passed up those opportunities, Dundee fell behind on nine minutes.
The goal was a simple one, with Mullen glancing a header past Hamilton after he was picked out by a cross from the right by Paul McGinn.
The Dark Blues were only behind for three minutes, however.
It was a fine strike from the edge of the box by Ngwatala, the 25-year-old Frenchman’s first-time shot nestling in the back of the net via the right-hand post.
The Dens men then squandered a glorious chance to take the lead on 58 minutes.
There was some baffling defending from the hosts which saw Jack Baird give up the chase of a long ball that was going towards his keeper Samson.
That allowed Mendy to nip in and grab possession, round Samson and then get pulled down to the floor by the home goalie.
It was a definite spotkick and a gift to the Dark Blues but Moussa stepped up and saw his shot get well saved by Samson.
As a result, their second-half dominance would prove to be worthless.
Having passed up that golden opportunity, Dundee fell behind on 84 minutes when Mullen struck again. It was a nightmarish goal to lose, with Buddies sub Ryan Flynn pouncing to rob Hamilton of possession and squaring the ball to Mullen for the tap-in. Hamilton had played a goalkick to Kerr but seemed to stand on the return ball.
There were times in this match when the Dens men looked to be in total control, especially after the break, but they somehow manage to throw it away and that will be a worry for boss Neil McCann.
