Dundee’s Steven Doris has admitted he feared referee Euan Norris was not going to award the “stonewall” penalty that ultimately beat Alloa on Saturday.
The 25-year-old was a second-half supersub who made a crucial difference along with fellow replacements Martin Boyle and Jamie Reid.
With the game deep into injury time, Doris tumbled in the Alloa box under a challenge from former Dundee United youth player Willie Robertson.
It looked a certain penalty but initially the striker, who joined the Dark Blues from Arbroath during the summer, feared the worst.
Thankfully, from a Dundee point of view, the official pointed to the spot, with Kevin McBride lashing the ball home to put a late gloss on what until that moment had been a frustrating afternoon for the Championship favourites.
Doris said: “Wee Boyley flicked it on and as the defender tried to clear it, I toed it away from him and he caught the side of my ankle.
“It was definitely a penalty. The boy was trying to clear it but I got the ball just before he got there, so it was a stonewall spot-kick. At first though, I thought the ref wasn’t going to give it. A few of the boys said he took his time.
“I took a lot of penalties for Arbroath and I would have stepped up if needed. I just think that because I had been hurt a wee bit, Barra (McBride) stepped up and tucked it away well, thankfully.”
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