Dundee are kicking themselves.
Deservedly two goals to the good at McDiarmid Park and seemingly cruising toward a major victory.
The Dark Blues were superior to their hosts, St Johnstone, for the vast majority of the game.
But come out with just one point instead of three after a late collapse saw the game end 2-2.
So what do we take from their fourth league game under Tony Docherty?
Goals and chances
Scoring goals has been the toughest thing for the Dark Blues to do this term.
At McDiarmid Park, they did something they’d only managed once under Docherty – score twice.
And they were more than good for those two goals, good headers for Amadou Bakayoko and Ricki Lamie.
But they shouldn’t have been stopping there. Good pressing took advantage of sloppy St Johnstone to present Scott Tiffoney a golden chance through on goal.
Dimitar Mitov did brilliantly to save the effort – there would have been no catching the Dark Blues had that gone in.
Then at 2-1, Zak Rudden sprinted through but fired wide of the post from an angle – if you want to be a Premiership striker, that’s the sort of chance that has to go in.
Saints punished those misses severely to teach this new Dark Blues side a harsh lesson.
Performance
There’s no doubt this should have been a winning performance.
Dundee hadn’t won at McDiarmid since 2017 but for 80-ish minutes of this contest, it looked for certain that was about to change.
Bright, industrious and full of running, Saints couldn’t get to grips with their visitors.
This was as comfortable as it gets for Dundee in Perth.
That certainly shouldn’t be forgotten in the midst of the frustration at the way the match ended.
Dundee were very good and that bodes well for the season ahead.
However, it’s difficult to see past the frustration – the quality of the display and the lack of reward at the end only adds to it.
▶️ St Johnstone scored a 96th minute equaliser to secure a dramatic draw with Dundee ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/WzKpDiDh3D
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) September 2, 2023
The first goal conceded came out of the blue but the second came thanks to a lack of composure when the chance to clear was there.
Extra added time only compounds things but you play to the whistle and Dundee needed to defend better to close out the game.
Failing to do that proved costly to the tune of two points.
Owen Beck
Docherty said Beck was the best player on the park “by a country mile” and it’s very difficult to disagree.
From the off, he was a threat going forward but more importantly solid in defence.
He dominated his opposite number Dan Costelloe and capped the display with an assist for Ricki Lamie.
Throughout he was excellent but, after the game, Docherty revealed “Owen is down in the dressing room because he loses a goal at the back post.”
That speaks well of the player because the chance should have been stopped at source and the cross from Graham Carey was a quality delivery.
Dundee have a gem in Beck and the beauty is he’ll only get better.
Season start
Seven points from the first 12 would have been a tremendous start to the Premiership for Docherty and his side.
Five instead is not to be sniffed at, even with the disappointment of the 2-2 draw on Saturday.
It’s a steady beginning with performances on the whole very positive.
It should be seven but this is not a side that looks like a newly-promoted outfit, nor one that looks disjointed despite so many new faces.
This team is in its infancy, growing pains will happen and this was a sore one.
But the future is bright at Dens Park. That is clear to see.
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