Experience counts and Dundee have found that out the hard way this season.
The Dark Blues have endured an up-and-down start to the season, flying high in the early stages before hitting a deep, deep low against Kilmarnock.
Tony Docherty’s side appeared to be cruising to a deserved victory at Dens Park, leading 2-0 with five minutes left on the clock despite being down to 10 men for the majority of the contest.
However, a defensive collapse allowed Killie to plunder three goals in the final nine minutes and prompted plenty of soul-searching at Dens Park.
Suddenly a three-match losing streak, five without a win, had tumbled into four straight defeats and six without victory. With the added agony of a major defensive collapse on top.
They put an international break to good use and work on the training pitch paid off as they earned a thoroughly welcome clean sheet in a 1-0 win at Motherwell.
Other than sharpened focus on eradicating individual mistakes, what was the difference between the two sides on show?
Experience, that’s what.
What changed on the pitch?
Boss Docherty made big changes to his starting XI at Motherwell with four players coming in.
Ryan Astley and Fin Robertson played their parts but the notable impacts came from two very experienced campaigners.
Fir Park saw Trevor Carson making his 432nd career appearance as he kept a clean sheet, the first the Dark Blues have managed in the league this term.
Making his first start for the club was Scott Fraser, who isn’t too far behind Carson in senior appearances with 390 to his name now.
Carson and Fraser added to a hugely experienced spine of the team alongside Clark Robertson, Curtis Main and Simon Murray.
Meanwhile, against Kilmarnock, Dundee used seven players who have played fewer than 10 Premiership matches – against the Steelmen that was only five.
On the whole, the levels of first-team experience didn’t alter too much between the matches, though the difference was still noticeable.
Those who took to the pitch at Fir Park had 2,865 career appearances compared to 2,753 against Killie.
The startling difference, however, comes when you compare the teams that finished the two matches.
The final team at Motherwell had, in total, played over 600 senior matches more than the team that finished against Kilmarnock.
There is a caveat that the Killie side only had 10 men after Mo Sylla’s red card. He has 297 appearances to his name.
The XI who completed the victory at Fir Park have 2,001 career appearances to their names.
The 10 who completed the defeat at home to Kilmarnock have just 1,378 career appearances to their names.
‘They know what it takes to win a game’
Don’t just take Courier Sport’s word for it.
Manager Tony Docherty is delighted to now be able to call upon experienced campaigners Clark Robertson and Scott Fraser on a regular basis.
That know-how allows the club’s young stars to flourish he says.
“At this club we’ve got a really good blend of youth and experience,” the Dundee boss told Courier Sport.
“The young players need that kind of experience around them. I call them cultural architects, they’re the ones that have got the experience of playing in the Scottish Premiership.
“They know what it takes to win a game so that experience is vital.
“And it can really help the young players.
“There’s a really good blend with the likes of Clark Robertson, Scott Fraser, Trevor Carson, Simon Murray and more and you look behind that you’ve got real young talent.
“There’s Lyall Cameron, Josh Mulligan, Seb Palmer-Houlden and a lot more.
“So it’s a good blend, but I really need to credit the experienced ones.
“It’s all right having experience but it’s about the good experience and that being transferable.
“I think that’s what they showed on Saturday.
“I see it every day here, I see good practice here every day.
“And for me as manager and the coaching staff, it’s good to see when we walk out the room, they carry on the message and that’s really, really important.”
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