Dundee cut the gap at the top of the Championship to just one point with a commanding 3-0 victory over Cove Rangers.
Paul Hartley was returning to the Dens Park dugout in charge of the Aberdeen outfit but saw his team swept aside.
That was despite a turgid first-half that ended goal-less with little to commend it in terms of attacking play.
Half-time changes, though, injected life into the Dee frontline with Zach Robinson and Alex Jakubiak making an immediate impact.
Robinson was the key man, scoring the opening goal on 49 minutes and then setting up Jakubiak for 2-0 two minutes later.
Lyall Cameron would add to Dundee’s recent penalty woes after seeing a spot-kick saved by Scott Fox before the 20-year-old made up for it with a confidently taken third with 12 minutes remaining.
Agitate and annoy
Cove’s gameplan from the start was clearly to frustrate the home side – and the home crowd.
Taking ages over throw-ins, stealing yards and Scott Fox electing to take every goal kick from the opposite side of his six-yard box were just some of the tricks of the trade.
Manager Paul Hartley obviously has plenty of experience of being in the dugout at Dens.
And ‘get the home fans on Dundee backs’ seems to have been the message.
Going into half-time, they’d frustrated the home players on the pitch and annoyed the fans in the stands.
But there was no response once the Dark Blues got the all-important opener.
Subs
Gary Bowyer’s selections from the bench during games have brought a mixed reaction from fans lately.
Against Queen’s Park substitutions won the game. Then Wednesday brought criticism as the Dark Blues chucked away their lead against Raith Rovers late on.
This time Bowyer got the desired impact from his half-time replacements.
Kwame Thomas had endured a 45-minute battle with the Cove defence while not much seems to be coming off for Luke McCowan right now.
They were off for Zach Robinson and Alex Jakubiak and both scored within six minutes of entering the fray.
Later in the game, home fans got a first look at Luke Hannant as he made his debut in place of McMullan.
Despite not having a huge amount of time he looked like’s got something to offer between now and the end of the campaign.
Zach Robinson
If his return on Wednesday had shown a rusty frontman then this was the Robinson fans remember.
Immediately after coming on, the AFC Wimbledon man bullied the Cove defence.
The first goal saw him roll his man with apparent ease before heading for the byline and smashing the ball at goal, somehow finding a way through Fox.
The second was more of the same, using his physicality to get turned and facing the Cove backline before laying the ball on a plate for Jakubiak to stroke home.
Very impressive from the on-loan man.
Penalties
Dundee and spot-kicks don’t mix these days – the Dark Blues have now missed seven out of the last 10 taken.
Three were missed at St Mirren, one against Queen’s Park and then two in midweek against Raith Rovers to exit the SPFL Trust Trophy.
Cameron has been in fine form of late and showed bottle to step up once again after being one of the three to miss in Paisley.
But again he saw his strike from 12 yards was denied by a goalkeeper.
Who steps up next?
Table
At one point on Saturday the ‘as it stands’ Championship table had Queen’s Park opening up a seven-point lead on Dundee and Ayr.
Greenock Morton, though, came back and took all three points at Cappielow, leaving the Dark Blues with an opportunity to cut the gap.
They’ve taken that and the division standings look far better from a dark blue point of view.
Now one point behind the leaders and a game in hand, with goals flowing, Dundee have themselves in a very tidy position heading into the final stages of the campaign.
