Dundee United slipped off the top of the Championship after a second defeat of the campaign at the hands of lowly Dumbarton.
It meant an end to a 14 game unbeaten run stretching back to September and a disappointing finish to 2016.
There was a surprise for travelling fans when the United team was announced. Top scorer Tony Andreu was dropped with Nick van der Velden taking his place.
The second change from the side that beat St Mirren was the return of Stewart Murdoch for Charlie Telfer.
The Tangerines did the early pressing, but there was a scare when a Sam Stanton 30-yarder whistled just past their goal.
United were having plenty of the possession without creating anything clear cut and paid the price as they went behind in the 27th minute.
Mark Docherty crossed from the left and when Bell was deceived by Garry Fleming’s failure to get a touch, the ball bounced into the back of the net.
Docherty was the man who got the winner as Ray McKinnon’s men suffered a shock defeat here in August.
Five minutes before the break home goalie Alan Martin was the hero as he tipped a powerful Will Flood effort over.
United had the ball in the net as Paul Dixon cut it back for Simon Murray, but the fullback had carried it behind before delivering the pass.
The second half saw the visitors battle to get level and they went close when Mark Durnan hit the bar with a flick from a Scott Fraser corner.
And they were almost level when a deflected shot from sub Cammy Smith skimmed the top of the bar. Then Fraser went close with a 30-yard free kick.
In a desperate final few minutes Durnan had a header cleared off the line and the defender also headed against the post in injury time as United just couldn’t find a way through the home defence.
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