Dundee kept their slim Premiership hopes alive after seeing off Hibs 3-1 at Dens Park.
In a rousing finish for a home support starved of any kind of success all season, Charlie Adam’s late screamer capped a good evening for the Dark Blues, though it may be too late to save their season.
The victory was their first at home in 2022, a first for manager Mark McGhee and brought an end to a 12-match winless streak.
They got off to the perfect start with Niall McGinn knocking in from close range after just three minutes before James Scott levelled matters on the half-hour.
Josh Mulligan would head in on 67 minutes as the chances flowed in the second half before Adam’s howitzer sealed the three points, keeping Dundee in the top flight for another 24 hours at least.
They need St Johnstone to lose to Aberdeen tomorrow to take the chase to the last day.
Young team
Manager Mark McGhee rang the changes after the disappointment of a performance at St Mirren on Saturday, going for a youthful starting XI.
Dropping to the bench was skipper and talisman Adam with youngsters Max Anderson and Josh Mulligan coming into midfield alongside Shaun Byrne.
Hibs, meanwhile, were without Kevin Nisbet, Scott Allan and Christian Doidge as James Scott led the line for the Edinburgh outfit.
McGhee’s changes brought much more verve to the side early on and they got the start they were after, breaching the Hibs defence within three minutes.
Jordan Marshall picked out Zak Rudden and sent the striker in behind the backline. His finish was well kept out by Matt Macey but McGinn was on hand to knock in the rebound.
There was plenty to be happy about for McGhee with his side looking confident.
But Hibs were getting chances with Harry Sharp denying Scott with a good low save on nine minutes.
Dundee’s Achilles heel this season has been conceded soft goals and it proved costly once more.
This time skipper Jordan McGhee was beaten too easily by Scott on the flank before the striker found the net with a low finish under Sharp. That was the on-loan Hull City man’s first goal for the Hibees.
They weren’t done at the other end, however.
Mulligan thought he had his first Premiership goal – and a belter of a finish it was, too, as his header crashed in off the underside of the crossbar.
Unfortunately, the linesman’s flag was up to spoil the 19-year-old’s moment.
Chances, chances
With half-an-hour left on the clock, club captain Charlie Adam was sent on alongside Luke McCowan.
The latter played a pivotal role in the second strike for the Dark Blues – this time a Mulligan header counting.
Jordan Marshall with excellent work down the left, dug out a cross for McCowan to head back across goal and there was 19-year-old Mulligan to nod in his first Dundee league goal.
Those two combined once more on 69 minutes as McCowan headed a corner back into the area and Mulligan saw his header cleared off the line. The Hibs goal was under siege with Mulligan having another hacked off the line seconds later.
Chances were coming thick and fast for the hosts with Rudden a minute later fluffing a glorious opportunity to extend Dundee’s lead, sclaffing a left-foot shot wide.
That frenetic pace couldn’t be sustained but any late nerves were calmed by skipper Adam.
With his contract ending in the summer, this may be the former Scotland man’s last game at Dens Park.
And, if it is the end, what a way to finish it off as he smashed a beauty of a left-foot strike into the corner from 25 yards.
Teams
Dundee: Sharp, Kerr, Sweeney, McGhee, Marshall, Byrne (Adam 61), Mulligan, Anderson, McMullan (McCowan 62), McGinn, Rudden (Fontaine 90).
Subs not used: Welsh, McGowan, Chapman, Robertson, Daley-Campbell.
Hibs: Macey, Clarke, Doig, Porteous (Doyle-Hayes 74), McGinn, Newell, Stevenson, Scott, Campbell (Melkersen 74), Bushiri, Henderson (Jasper 61).
Subs not used: Dabrowski, McGregor, Hauge, Delferriere, Laidlaw, Aiken.
Referee: Craig Napier
Attendance: 5,452 (369)
