Dundee’s superb return to Premiership football is in very real danger of ending on a sour note.
A third straight defeat since securing a top-half finish stretched a winless run to six games, their worst under Tony Docherty.
The top-six, however, is an unforgiving environment. That was demonstrated clearly at Tynecastle.
Plenty of aspects to be positive about for the Dee but the difference came in front of goal at both ends.
Courier Sport was at sun-drenched Tynecastle to analyse all the action.
VAR
Docherty was furious at Nick Walsh’s decision to overturn a handball after checking the monitor.
At 1-0, minutes before the break, Lyall Cameron’s shot hit Stephen Kingsley on the arm.
Walsh was in no doubt initially as he pointed to the spot but the VAR intervention obviously created doubt in the official’s mind.
Hearts have been fortunate to earn two penalties against Dundee this season. Docherty brought up the Lee Ashcroft handball at Dens while there was also a highly-doubtful VAR-awarded spot-kick at Tynecastle that went against Owen Dodgson in January.
The Ashcroft comparison is understandable, though they were different. Ashcroft had his hand out from his body, Kingsley had his tight in.
The question was whether the Hearts man leaned into the path of the ball with his arm.
Var no penalty to Dundee
Hearts 1 Dundee 0 pic.twitter.com/gL6aSkchMw
— Nou Campy FTW! (@NouCampyFTW) May 11, 2024
Walsh thought he did in the moment. After being told to view the monitor and taking time over the decision he changed his mind.
The no-penalty decision probably was correct in the end. However, once it is given was it really a ‘clear and obvious error’ since Kingsley moved towards the ball and it hit his arm?
Docherty accused the officials of “re-refereeing the game” using VAR. It’s difficult to argue against that.
Once it’s given, however harsh, there’s not enough there to say it is 100% the wrong decision.
At a key moment in the game, Dundee have every right to be aggrieved in the context of VAR use this season.
Inexperience
There was plenty in the Dundee display to be happy about.
Playing out from the back was successful at times with Antonio Portales stepping into his role of senior man in the backline well.
But the difference between the sides was clear in the moments that really mattered.
Whether it was Craig Gordon or the men in front of him, Dundee were unable to find the net when opportunities came their way.
Hearts did. More clearly, though, the Dark Blues defending fell short.
The first goal conceded was poor. Jordan McGhee, feeling the effects of a stomach bug, got turned around in the area by Barrie Mckay before Dodgson inexplicably called for offside rather than trying to clear the cross.
The second was a defensive disaster.
Losing the ball in attack, Dundee’s defensive line was caught high. Dodgson again made the wrong decision.
First he dropped behind his team-mates to play Alan Forrest onside. Then he tried to play offside again but got it all wrong.
Then Jon McCracken came way out of his box, making up the mind of Forrest who finished with relative ease.
When it mattered, Hearts showed why they are clearly the third force in Scotland. And Dundee’s young team got a wee lesson in the levels required to challenge the big boys.
There is lot of talent in this team but inexperience showed in key moments.
Astley
Injury to Ricki Lamie saw Ryan Astley parachuted in to make his first start for the club. Indeed, he’d only played 23 minutes since joining the club from Everton in January.
So it was a surprise to see him in the starting XI.
Early on, a super defensive block to deny Hearts an opening goal got things off to a good start.
And throughout he looked solid in a new-look backline. Late on Lawrence Shankland got away from him to score the third goal but there was plenty to like about Astley’s display.
Finish
Three defeats on the spin could easily become four at Rangers on Tuesday. It would be a run that doesn’t do justice to the good work done by this squad throughout the season.
To still have a chance of qualifying for European football with two games to go speaks to that, even if it is now a very slim one.
Conversation