Dundee’s performance at Hearts was “uncharacteristic” says manager Tony Docherty after seeing his side fall to a 2-0 defeat at Tynecastle.
The Dark Blues were distinctly second-best in the first half against the Premiership’s bottom side and found themselves two goals behind thanks to a Lawrence Shankland double.
It was an unacceptable first 45 minutes for Docherty.
“The overriding feeling is one of frustration because, for whatever reason, I just think we weren’t at it at all in the first half,” the Dundee boss said.
“We didn’t compete. I thought we did in the second half when we addressed it.
“I don’t want to put out excuses but I think maybe the exertions from midweek were part of it.
“Because I’ve seen some things uncharacteristic to the way we’ve been playing.
“Some of our decision-making was poor and sometimes mentally, when you’re fatigued, you make poor decisions.
“One thing that we do normally is keep possession better than we did today.
“When you come to venues like this, you need to keep the ball better so you can work your way up the pitch and create opportunities.
“That was probably lacking today.
“But I’m not wanting to be too tough on the players because recently we’ve been good.
“The second half performance is an acceptable way to play. First half, there’s a lot we can do better.”
Shankland strikes
Simon Murray was left on the bench for the first time in the Premiership this season with Seb Palmer-Houlden starting up top.
Also in was Fin Robertson, returning to the left wing-back role. Scott Tiffoney, despite his key goal against Motherwell, dropped back to the bench.
The first half was an extremely poor one from the away side, unable to build any possession and unable to stop the home side passing through them.
Shankland’s struggle for goals this season has been well-documented but the scoring instinct still remains.
On 21 minutes, Jon McCracken pushed out a Blair Spittal shot before the following cross saw Shankland get the better of Robertson at the far post to plant a looping header into the far corner.
The relief was clear on his face and a second quickly followed. This one McCracken won’t want to see again as he pushed a low cross out into the box and the Scotland striker made no mistake.
It took Dundee 33 minutes to register a shot on goal, Adewumi blazing well over.
Changes but no change to scoreline
Two changes came at the break with Murray and Ethan Ingram on and a change from 3-4-3 to 3-5-2.
Tiffoney also emerged from the bench and added a bit of energy to the side and defensively the team improved.
But there would be no stirring comeback in the second half with a late Antonio Portales header as close as a Dundee player came to testing Craig Gordon.
In stoppage time Shankland was denied a hat-trick by McCracken before Alan Forrest saw his rebound effort blocked.
It was a day to forget for the Dark Blues as they head into a two-week break sitting sixth in the Premiership table.
Murray on the bench
Docherty explained why he started the game with captain and top scorer Murray and midweek scorer Tiffoney on the bench.
“You just try and freshen up as best you can,” he said.
“I’ve got a small squad here. And if you keep asking boys to go again and go again and go again…
“Seb Palmer-Houlden was disappointed being left out the other night. I was disappointed for him as well.
“I’ve got good players, but I’ve not got a lot of players.
“So I think you need to try and maintain a freshness, particularly at the top end of the pitch.
“That was the decision with Scott Tiffoney as well.
“Tiff did fantastically well the other night, but we were just looking for that wee bit of freshness again.”
Teams
Hearts (4-2-3-1): Gordon, Halkett, Oyegoke, Shankland, Devlin, Rowles, Spittal (Vargas 75), Boateng, Wilson (Forrest 67), Penrice, Drammeh (Grant 75).
Subs not used: Clark, Oda, Dhanda, Tait, Forrester, Salazar.
Dundee (3-4-3): McCracken, Astley, Portales, Koumetio, Mulligan (Vetro 84), F Robertson (Ingram 46), Sylla, McGhee, Cameron, Adewumi (Murray 46), Palmer-Houlden (Tiffoney 61).
Subs not used: Sharp, Carson, Main, Kelly, Braybrooke.
Referee: Colin Steven
Attendance: 18,737
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