Lady Luck deserted Dundee as they lost to Hearts at a sold-out Tynecastle this afternoon.
The Dark Blues hit the woodwork no less than four times but were undone by two second-half goals with results elsewhere meaning Dundee are now at the bottom of the Premiership table..
The big team news from a Dundee perspective was the absence of skipper Darren O’Dea at the heart of the defence with the big Irishman missing out due to a recurrence of his foot injury.
The Dark Blues had a great chance with just seconds on the clock with Faissal El Bakhtaoui pouncing on a slack back pass from Callum Paterson but former Dundee United defender John Souttar raced back to make a desperate last-ditch tackle to deny the striker.
The Jambos then came close to capitalising on a Dundee error when Kevin Gomis dithered with Conor Sammon pouncing but Scott Bain made a vital save to deny him.
Paul Hartley’s side then had a chance of their own in the 21st minute when Tom Hateley hit a superb free-kick from 22 yards that brushed the top of Hearts keeper Jack Hamilton’s crossbar.
However, that was a rare opportunity for the away side with Hearts dominating and Dundee had keeper Bain to thank for denying the Jambos twice shortly before the break.
The goalie firstly dived full length to tip away a fierce Arnaud Djoum drive and then pulled off an amazing save to keep out a Paterson header from the resultant corner.
Just two minutes after the restart, Hateley hit the woodwork for the second time when he crashed an angled shot from the edge of the Hearts penalty box off Hamilton’s right-hand post.
The Dark Blues incredibly hit the woodwork for a third time shortly after when Kosta Gadzhalov headed a Hateley corner off the crossbar.
Jamie Walker then looked certain to score for the home side but Bain made another great point-blank save to deny him.
In the 62nd minute, Dundee were denied by the frame of the goal for the fourth time when Yordi Teijsse fired in a crisp shot from the edge of the home box which smashed off the post with Hamilton well beaten.
However, the deadlock was finally broken seven minutes later when Jambos sub Robbie Muirhead swung a free-kick in from the left towards the Dundee back post and Paterson rose highest to send a towering header past Bain.
Teijsse had a chance to equalise late on but he directed his header wide when he should have at least hit the target.
However, Hearts finally put the game to bed in the 89th minute when sub Bjorn Johnsen latched onto a Walker cross from the right to smash the ball past Bain.
For full report, reaction and analysis, see Monday’s Courier.
