Tony Docherty has urged his young Dundee team to learn their lessons quickly after falling to defeat at St Mirren.
A poor first-half display had the Dark Blues in at the break 2-0 down with the Buddies well on top.
To add to the frustration, Zach Robinson had seen a penalty saved with the score still at 1-0.
Docherty’s side improved in the second period but only had a Josh Mulligan goal to show for their efforts as they start their Premiership return with one point from an available six.
‘Golden opportunity’
The real damage had been done in the opening 45.
“I’m disappointed because we didn’t start the game well. St Mirren were the better team by far in the first half,” the Dundee boss said.
“We changed shape and were unlucky not to get a point.
“I said to the boys that this league is a punishing league and if you don’t take your opportunities then it will come back to bite you. That’s what happened.
“We had a golden opportunity, probably against the run of play, with the penalty in the first half.
“We’ve got to make sure we score that.
“Everyone misses penalties so I’m not apportioning blame but the message to the players is when we get these opportunities, like Luke McCowan’s in the second half, we’ve got to take them.”
‘Re-jig it’
Another lesson came before the break with the score 1-0 heading into first-half stoppage-time.
Dundee conceded a corner and Mikael Mandron rose highest at the front post to double his side’s advantage moments before the half-time whistle blew.
“I hate losing goals from set-plays,” Docherty added.
“And there’s two minutes to go, let’s get in at 1-0. We’ve not been great but we can get together and re-jig it.
“That is a frustration for me and the players are aware of it as well.
“Go in at 1-0 and we have a real chance, 2-0 and it’s more difficult.”
Learn quickly
Dundee have a break with the League Cup knockouts taking place next weekend, with a home clash against Hearts in a fortnight’s time.
And there are lessons to learn before taking on the Jambos.
Docherty added: “We are a newly-promoted team so we need to learn quick.
“In both games we’ve played I think we’ve merited more than we’ve got.
“I think the positive to take from the first two games is we are good enough.
“We should have taken at least a point today. But we’ve not so we have to learn from it.
“It’s important we learn these lessons quick.
“And when these opportunities do present themselves, we take them.”
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