Dundee eased to their first league win in over two months with a comfortable 4-1 victory over Motherwell at Dens Park.
The Dark Blues, who had been without a success in the Premiership since the November 1 trip to Kilmarnock, took the lead after only three minutes when new boy Alex Harris’s shot was deflected past visiting goalkeeper Dan Twardzik.
Greg Stewart made it two when he followed up with a header after his shot had rebounded back off Twardzik’s bar.
Former Dundee striker John Sutton got one back for the Lanarkshire men on 19 minutes with a finely-taken strike at the near post.
However, the hosts made it 3-1 on 34 minutes thanks to a blunder by Twardzik, who dropped a corner at the feet of Gary Irvine and the defender lashed the loose ball into the net.
Well were reduced to 10 men just a minute before half-time when Henrik Ojamaa struck out at Kevin Thomson with an elbow and was shown a straight red card.
It looked like it could not get any worse for a woeful Well side, who were absolutely terrible at the back.
But it did so, with the concession of a goal that was almost laughable.
With 20 minutes to go, Dundee sub Luka Tankulic tried to stab the ball into the net but Motherwell’s Mark O’Brien seemed likely to mop up the danger.
As O’Brien waited for keeper Twardzik to react, however, the ball struck the defender and trundled over the line to make it 4-1.
It was embarrassing stuff from the Steelmen, who on this form should be worried about the possibility of doing a Hibs and getting sucked right into relegation trouble along with Ross County and St Mirren.
That isn’t Dundee’s concern, though, and the poor quality of the opposition should not detract from what was a professional performance and a very welcome win ahead of next Saturday’s trip to Pittodrie to face league-leading Aberdeen.