Dundee gave as good as they got against Aberdeen at Pittodrie this afternoon but still slumped to their third straight Premiership in a row.
The Dons opened the scoring through former St Johnstone striker Stevie May in the first half with Dundee equalising thanks to Roarie Deacon with his first goal for the club.
However, May then struck once more to break the brave Dundee hearts.
Dundee boss Neil McCann made three changes from the side that was beaten at Hamilton last week with Kerr Waddell, James Vincent and Deacon coming in for the injured Randy Wolters and skipper Darren O’Dea with Paul McGowan dropping to the bench.
Dons manager Derek McInnes included former Dundee United winger Gary Mackay-Steven in his starting line-up while there was a place on the bench for ex-Dark Blues favourite Greg Stewart.
Dundee had the first big chance in the eighth minute. Mark Reynolds was short with a pass back to his keeper Joe Lewis with Vincent pouncing. However, with reinforcements racing into the home box, the midfielder dithered and the opportunity was lost.
And just four minutes later, McInnes’s men took the lead.
Greg Tansey whipped in a corner from the left with May rising to head past Scott Bain from eight yards for his first goal for the Dons since signing from Preston.
The Dark Blues then had another big scare when Cammy Kerr made a defensive error but Ryan Christie’s cheeky back-heel was easily gathered by Bain.
However, Dundee were then denied by the woodwork in the 23rd minute when Deacon sent a cross in from the right with Marcus Haber hitting the top of Lewis’s bar with a header with Reynolds clearing.
The teams headed down the tunnel at the tunnel with the Dons still leading but Dundee would have taken heart from the way they had recovered after conceding so early.
And just eight minutes after the restart, the Dark Blues came storming right back into the game. Christie gifted possession to Deacon who raced into the Aberdeen box before hitting a crisp, low shot that went between Lewis’s legs and into the back of the net.
Dundee then had a gilt-edged opportunity to take the lead when Faissal El Bakhtaoui played the ball to Deacon on the right with his pinpoint cross finding Scott Allan but the midfielder shot wide with the goal at his mercy.
Stewart came off the bench and in the 74th minute he played fellow sub Nicky Maynard straight through on goal but Bain bravely dived at his feet to snuff out the danger.
However, Dundee’s resistance was finally broken in the 79th minute. The Dark Blues were down to nine men at the time with El Bakhtaoui and Haber both off receiving treatment and when they failed to clear their lines, May pounced to rocket a left-foot shot past the helpless Bain.
Christie then could have made it three for the Dons but he dragged his shot wide when straight through on goal.
For full report, reaction and analysis, see Monday’s Courier.
