Dundee secured the bragging rights in this Tayside derby and more importantly all three points with an ultimately comfortable win over St Johnstone.
The Dark Blues scored twice in the first half thanks to goals from Faissal El Bakhtaoui and Kosta Gadzhalov with Saints skipper Steven Anderson putting through his own net just before the hour mark.
Before kick-off, the big team news from a Dundee perspective was the absence of skipper Darren O’Dea through illness and midfielder James Vincent. Dens boss Paul Hartley drafted Mark O’Hara and Faissal El Bakhtaoui into the starting XI.
Kevin Gomis who was on the bench at Partick Thistle on Wednesday also missed out because of illness.
Saints manager Tommy Wright made three changes from the side that drew with Rangers in midweek with Liam Craig, Murray Davidson and Danny Swanson coming in for Chris Millar, David Wotherspoon and Graham Cummins.
After an evenly-matched opening, Dundee scored with the first real chance of the game in the 15th minute.
Skipper Paul McGowan played a pass out to Marcus Haber on the right and the big Canadian sent a tempting low cross into the St Johnstone penalty area with El Bakhtaoui sweeping the ball home at the front post from close range past Saints keeper Zander Clark.
St Johnstone then came agonisingly close to equalising nine minutes later after they were awarded a free-kick 30 yards out. Blair Alston stepped up to take it and he produced a superb delivery that beat Dundee keeper Scott Bain but the ball clattered off the crossbar.
Saints came close again when Davidson flung himself full length but his diving header sailed over the bar.
The same player then tried his luck with a rasping long-range effort which had plenty of power behind it but was straight at Bain who saved comfortably.
However, it was the Dark Blues who extended their lead in the 42nd minute. Haber chested the ball into the path of defender Gadzhalov who produced a finish worthy of any striker to fire high past Clark from eight yards and give his side a two-goal advantage at the break.
Not surprisingly, Saints put Dundee under a lot of pressure at the start of the second half as they looked to claw their way back into the game.
However, it was the home side who made it three in the 57th minute. O’Hara did really well to win the ball before playing a pass out to Tom Hateley on the right. He fired a low cross into the penalty area with luckless Saints skipper Anderson diverting the ball into his own net.
Bain then had to look lively to produce a great diving save from a Swanson 22-yard drive before Clark had to pull off a similar stop from an El Bakhtaoui shot.
For full report, reaction and analysis, see Monday’s Courier.