Dundee manager has laughed off a half-time clash during the Dundee derby, saying such passion is “great stuff”.
Hartley was seen arguing with United’s backroom staff moments after United’s Paul Dixon and Dundee’s Greg Stewart had got caught up in a tangle on the pitch.
Asked about the spat, Dens Park manager Paul Hartley smiled and said: “It was great stuff, wasn’t it? They felt Stewart had a kick out, we felt he didn’t. But it is football and it is great.”
The match finished 2-2 after a Billy Mckay double cancelled out a first-half brace by Dundee’s Kane Hemmings.
Hartley had to reshuffle his side throughout the afternoon, starting in the 16th minute when Thomas Konrad replaced the injured Kostadin Gadzhalov.
Konrad then picked up an injury and his place was taken in the 40th minute by midfielder Nicky Low.
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After visiting keeper Scott Bain was sent off for bringing down Mckay in the box, Low had to be replaced by number two goalkeeper David Mitchell, making his debut after signing from Stranraer in the summer.
“It was exhausting,” said Hartley. “I thought the game had everything, chances and things that go against you.
“You plan all week and then you get certain situations. Two centre-halves coming off injured in the first half and the goalkeeper getting sent off.
“At 2-0 I felt comfortable but the sending-off changed the game. I don’t know if Kevin (Holt), who is on the cover, can get around quickly enough.
“The game changed, we were down to 10 men and had to adjust the team, to go to a back four.
“They threw everything at us in terms of crosses going in but we dealt with it, we threw bodies on the line, and our attitude was magnificent. Just one lapse of concentration has cost us the three points.”