Dundee 0
St Mirren 1
League (First Division)

Match Report

Mark Yardley smashed a huge dent into Dundee's title hopes with a goalden header which was enough to knock Jim Duffy's men off top spot. The big striker got on the end of a Junior Mendes cross 14 minutes from time and there was no way back for the dismal Dens flops.

But defiant defender Barry Smith, who was a standout, reckons the Dark Blues have still got what it takes to clinch a spot in the Premier League. And he warned: "We'll just look on this as a setback. The conditions were bad and it made it difficult for both sides to play football.

"It was just a bit of an off day for the guys up front but we can't put all the blame on them. We're still creating lots of chances which is the main thing."

Victory was no more than battling Saints deserved and throws Tony Fitzpatrick's men into the fringe of the promotion race.

Delighted Fitz beamed: "We keep talking about the young players we've got here and they showed how good they REALLY are - especially in the second-half.

"I thought Jim Dick was excel lent and he put a lot of hard work into the game.

"It's very important we keep players like Ricky Gillies at the club because he's very special.

"And I thought Yardley was different class alongside him today. He's brave and goes in places where he's going to get hurt but he did well to direct his header on target."

Dundee must be cursing those missed chances. Yet they almost made a dream start as Kevin Magee really put the wind up Saints.

The youngster fired over a far post cross which was caught by the wind and rattled back off the post before being cleared upfield.

Jim Hamilton missed a glorious first-half chance when he fired into the side netting.

But, as Saints grew in confidence, Brian Hetherston and Barry McLaughlin both forced saves out of Billy Thomson.

Dundee stepped up a gear after the break and Paul Tosh forced Alan Combe to pull off a stunning save with a fierce volley from just inside the box.

Tosh then released Dariusz Adamczuk on the right and the midfielder sent over a high cross but Hamilton couldn't direct his header on target.

But Dens Park was stunned after 76 minutes when Saints broke the deadlock through Yardley.

Man mountain Yardley beat Thomson to Mendes' cross and headed home.

Dundee threw every thing forward in search of the equaliser, Iain Ferguson replacing Adamczuk in 80 minutes.

And Fergie almost paid instant dividends when he crashed a close range shot off the bar.

Brassed off Dens gaffer Duffy moaned: "I thought we played some good foot ball and we had four or five good chances but we were punished for one mistake."

Ref Alan Freeland booked SIX players - Saints Dick, Paul Fenwick and Hetherston along with Dundee's Robert Raeside, David Winney and Adamczuk.