Tony Docherty says the introduction of Seun Adewumi changed the game for Dundee at Kilmarnock.
The Dark Blues boss picked out the Burnley loanee after he came off the bench to lay on the opening goal at Rugby Park, Lyall Cameron firing in after 71 minutes.
The only frustration was the inability to hold onto the lead as fellow sub Bobby Wales equalised on 80 minutes and could have won the game but for Dee goalie Jon McCracken’s stoppage-time save.
“The game was relentless,” Docherty said.
“It’s probably one of the most difficult fixtures in the league, to play Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.
“We started with the momentum that we carried from the Hibs game. I thought the performance levels were really good to start.
“We were in the ascendancy but Kilmarnock are a good team and they came back into it.
“Jon McCracken made some big saves.
“Kilmarnock asked a lot of questions defensively. It takes a lot of concentration and we did that well.
“I’m just slightly disappointed that when you go 1-0 up that you can’t see that out.
“And I think we should do better for the goal. We’ve not tracked a runner for the equaliser.
“But I have to be relatively happy with a point away from home at a really tough venue.”
Front foot start
Jon McCracken was back in goal with Trevor Carson not risked on the plastic surface, Ryan Astley was in for the injured Clark Robertson.
The confidence-booster against Hibs last week bled into the start of this game as Dundee started on the front foot.
Confidence was high in attack, in particular with Josh Mulligan at right wing-back.
On four minutes, he set up Jordan McGhee to bring a good save from home goalie Robbie McCrorie. Moments later Lyall Cameron fired just wide.
On 11 minutes, Mulligan again was tormenting the left side of the Killie defence but Simon Murray was unable to turn in his low cross with the goal gaping.
The positive start faded, though, as the half wore on. The home side were poor and there was plenty grumbling in the stands at the half-time whistle.
Tables turned
Killie upped their game second half with Dundee second best.
McCracken denied Gary Mackay-Steven a spectacular leveller before the former Dundee United star wasted a golden chance on 69 minutes, blazing over.
Lyall Cameron showed him how to do it two minutes later.
The Dundee schemer looked in trouble facing his own goal with an awkward bouncing ball but got out of trouble, taking three Kilmarnock players out of the game and setting sub Seun Adewumi into the area.
Adewumi’s cut-back then fell perfectly for Cameron who made no mistake in slamming into the roof of the net.
Despite being second best for the second half, the Dark Blues looked good for their lead.
But it didn’t last long. Killie sent on Bobby Wales and he immediately found the net, firing in from a Kyle Vassell lay-off.
The sub caused all sorts of problems for the Dee, as Adewumi did for the hosts, with both having chances to win it.
McCracken was Dundee’s saviour in the closing stages, mopping up after an Antonio Portales error to deny Marley Watkins before coming up with a big save in the last minute.
Wales was a real pest and got clear of Ethan Ingram but the Dundee goalie got out fast and got out big to save the point for his side.
Adewumi
Docherty was full of praise for the impact from Austria U/21 international Adewumi, after emerging from the bench after 66 minutes.
“I thought the introduction of Adewumi gave them a problem,” the Dens boss added.
“He showed real quality.
“Kilmarnock were the better team at that stage. And we needed to do something to stop them attacking.
“The introduction of Adewumi in an area which would cause them problems did do that and contributed massively to the goal.”
Mo Sylla sub
Another sub saw Mo Sylla replaced at half-time by Ethan Ingram with Josh Mulligan moving into central midfield for the second period.
“It was tactical,” Docherty explained.
“We thought we had to keep the ball a bit better. We tried to get Josh Mulligan more involved in the middle of the pitch.
“Josh was feeling his hamstring a little bit when he came off.
“But listen, I think it’s just one of the games that when you come away from home, you realise, tough venue at Kilmarnock. You need all shoulders to the wheel.
“Everybody did that. And I think when the dust settles, we’ll view that as a good point.
“But it’s only a good point if we win the next one.”
The draw sees Dundee remain in seventh in the Premiership, gaining a point on both St Mirren and Motherwell in the table.
Teams
Kilmarnock (3-4-3): McCrorie, Ndaba, Wright, Mayo, Deas, Lyons, Vassell (Cameron 87), Mackay-Steven (Armstrong 75), Murray (Wales 78), Anderson (Polworth 78), Watkins.
Subs not used: O’Hara, Burroughs, McKenzie, Watson, Bainbridge.
Dundee (3-5-2): McCracken, Astley, Koumetio, Portales, Mulligan (Adewumi 66), F Robertson, Sylla (Ingram 46), McGhee, Cameron, Palmer-Houlden, Murray.
Subs not used: Sharp, Tiffoney, Kelly, Braybrooke, Vetro.
Referee: Ross Hardie
Attendance: 5,454 (587 away)
Conversation