Dundee returned to winning ways with this narrow win over Alloa at Dens.
The Dark Blues took the lead through Danny Johnson with Alloa’s Liam Dick equalising. The home side restored their advantage shortly before half-time with Jordan McGhee scoring his first goal for the club.
The Wasps had a penalty saved in the second 45 but Dundee deservedly ended the match with all three points in the bag.
Dark Blues boss James McPake made wholesale changes from the team that was beaten last Sunday by Elgin in the Challenge Cup with Jack Hamilton, Jordon Forster, Jordan Marshall, Finlay Robertson, Josh McPake and Johnson coming in for Calum Ferrie, Josh Meekings, Sean Mackie, Jamie Ness, Josh Todd and Kane Hemmings.
Dundee stormed into an early lead in just the second minute. Forster swung a cross in from the right towards Declan McDaid who smashed a header off Alloa keeper Jamie MacDonald’s crossbar with Johnson reacting fastest to fire home the rebound.
Just eight minutes later, though, the Wasps equalised when a corner from the left fell to Dick whose shot hit the back of Hamilton’s net with the help of a deflection off a home defender.
Dundee looked for a quick response and came close when the lively Paul McGowan beat two Alloa players before hitting a low shot with MacDonald pulling off a vital fingertip save to turn the ball onto the post and behind for a corner.
Hamilton was then called into action in the 29th minute, palming over a fierce Kevin Cawley 16-yard shot.
However, Dundee restored their lead 10 minutes later as Robertson played in McPake on the left and he laid the ball on a plate to McGhee for a close-range finish.
The Dark Blues came agonisingly close to making it three in the 48th minute when McDaid swung a free-kick in from the right with Forster crashing a diving header off the underside of MacDonald’s crossbar.
However, the home side had a huge let-off just three minutes later when Alloa were awarded a penalty as Cawley crashed to the turf under a Shaun Byrne challenge in the Dundee box.
Alan Trouten stepped up to take the spot-kick but Hamilton pulled off a good save low to his left to deny the Alloa front man.
The keeper’s opposite number made a similar great stop in the 66th minute diving to keep out a McDaid header.
Soon after, the Dundee players and fans were howling for what looked like a stonewall penalty as Cammy Kerr was sent tumbling by Scott Taggart as he prepared to pull the trigger in the Alloa box but referee Alan Newlands was not convinced.
Alloa had a great chance in the 88th minute but striker Robert Thomson sent his shot wide when he should have at least hit the target.
In stoppage time, MacDonald made another fine diving save to keep out a long-range effort from sub Hemmings.
