Decision-making in key moments cost Dundee “a very important victory” at Ross County admits a frustrated James McPake.
The Dark Blues were good value for their first-half lead with Luke McCowan putting them in front twice, either side of a Dominic Samuel goal.
However, poor defending cost them in the second half as goalkeeper Adam Legzdins failed to deal with a corner that saw Danny Mullen put into his own net.
Then with 12 minutes remaining Regan Charles-Cook struck to earn the Staggies a victory that moved them off bottom and to within two points of Dundee.
And manager McPake was furious with his side’s defensive work.
‘All our own doing’
“Bad decisions and three terrible goals cost us all three points in a game we should have been out of sight,” the Dens boss said.
“The game should have been dead and buried, we had a chance to make it 3-1 and 3-2 later.
“We don’t punish them but we should still be able to defend better regardless.
“We had experienced players who made very bad decisions. When you do that in this league, it costs you.
“Malky Mackay said to me his side got out of jail but I disagree.
“It was all our own doing with not being able to defend our box.
“Key decisions in the game and three crosses do us. Three poor, poor goals.
“You see our goals and how hard we have to work for them but we gifted them their three goals.”
‘I’ll take it on the chin’
He added: “I won’t paper over it and I’ll take it on the chin as well because I picked that team.
“But make no mistake, we have to defend better.
“Poor decision-making in key moments cost us what would have been a very important victory.”
There was no update on the injury sustained by captain Charlie Adam that saw him substituted after 13 minutes.
