Dundee’s long wait for their first home league win of the season is finally over.
Goals by Cammy Kerr and Marcus Haber – their first competitive counters for the club – were enough to secure a priceless three points with the win also lifting the Dark Blues off the bottom of the league.
Dundee boss Paul Hartley made just one change from the side that beat Hamilton last week with Kevin Gomis being recalled with Julen Etxabeguren missing out through illness.
First-choice keeper Scott Bain, who missed the Accies match because of a groin strain, was fit enough to make the subs’ bench with David Mitchell continuing between the sticks.
Dundee began brightly and carved out the first real opportunity in the 8th minute when Craig Wighton played in Kerr but the full-back’s shot from a tight angle flashed just past Motherwell keeper Craig Samson’s right-hand post.
Mitchell was then called into action for Dundee when he had to tip a Lionel Ainsworth corner onto his bar.
The home keeper then had an even bigger scare when he caught a high speculative Motherwell ball into his box at full stretch and then stumbled backwards into his own goal.
It looked like the ball had definitely crossed the line but the officials decided it hadn’t and the Dark Blues breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Then in the 24th minute, Motherwell striker Scott McDonald headed straight at Mitchell from an Ainsworth free-kick.
The striker was left to rue that missed opportunity in the 40th minute when he was robbed of possession in the middle of the park by Kerr who drove forward before playing in Wighton. His shot was cleared off the line but Kerr followed up to gleefully slam the ball home and give Dundee the lead at half-time.
Five minutes after the restart, Wighton hit a fierce rising drive from just inside the Motherwell box which Samson acrobatically tipped over with the keeper then having to be at his best again to keep out a Haber header, palming it off his crossbar.
Dundee were now dominant and came close to extending their lead in the 68th minute when Kevin Holt sent a shot from the edge of the Motherwell box flashing just inches past the post after great build-up play by the Dark Blues.
The home side finally did make it two in the 80th minute. Man-of-the-match Wighton burst down the left showing some outstanding strength and skill, arrowing in on goal before unselfishly cutting the ball back for Haber who smashed it past Samson.
For full report, reaction and analysis, see Monday’s Courier.
