Dundee 1
St Johnstone 1
League (First Division)

Match Report

A vastly improved second half performance from Dundee earned a point against top of the table St Johnstone, with Mickael Antoine-Curier's equaliser just reward for a transformed Dark Blues. The Perth side had been the better side in the opening half but Jocky Scott's half time pep talk did the trick as the Dee came out flying after the break and pushed Derek McInnes' side back.

It was the classic game of two halves and fine entertainment for the 6,537 crowd, the biggest at any ground in the First Division this season.

In a hotly contested match both sides were forced to settle for a point apiece. It was a high tempo affair with Saints dominating the first half and with 28th minutes gone a low shot by Steven Milne gave the visitors the lead, but a resurgent Dundee side took to the field in the second half with Antione-Curier netting a deserved equaliser fifteen minutes from time.

Other than the straight swap at the back: Gary Mackenzie replacing the injured Kyle Benedictus at centre half, it was the same team which had beaten QOS before the break. Darren Williams continued in his defensive midfield role while Bryan Deasley continued to partner Antione-Curier upfront after the pair hit the net against the Doonhamers. Table-topping Saints looked to continue their good run which saw them go undefeated in their last seven outings.

The game started slowly with both sides sharing possession but failing to create any clear chance at goal. There were seven minutes on the clock before Liam Craig struck a volley from 18 yards and although Douglas was scrambling the ball dragged wide. Pozniak and Curier then combined to play in O'Brien on the left who continued his run down the flank before playing the ball into the back post to Curier who couldn't stretch to make a connection.

Holms was then bundled to the ground just outside the area winning a free kick. From the resultant set- piece the ball was floated into the area and after a bundled clearance Kevin Moon managed to get in a volley from the edge of the box but Douglas was equal to his effort.

With 28 minutes gone the deadlock was broken: a long ball forward from keeper Main was knocked into the path of former Dee Steven Milne who blasted a low shot into the bottom right corner.

Saints grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and continued to pressure, and it was a well timed tackle by Craig McKeown on Holms in the box which kept the deficit at a single goal. As the interval approached Antione-Curier latched onto McKeown's long ball forward and unleashed a shot which breached the visitor's defence but failed to beat Main and sent the visitor's in at the break with a slender advantage.

Although Saints had the first chance of the second half it was a rejuvenated Dundee side which took to the park and after Liam Craig's long range effort the Dens Park side upped the ante and had three penalty claims turned away by the referee.

In the 54th minute on-loan Rangers midfielder Andrew Shinnie came on in the place of Freddie Daquin to make his debut for the club. O'Brien gets a cross in and as Curier goes to it a Saints player gets in the way and the home fans call for a penalty. Darren Williams then made way for Paul McHale in a straight swap in the middle of the park.

A Dundee throw in was taken quickly and sub McHale played it into the path of Curier who looked to be hauled down in the box and despite the Frenchman's protests the ref wasn't interested in his or the home supports objections. The ball was then knocked down as Dundee broke forward and Curier was presented with a massive chance but sent his effort straight at Main with Deasley and Shinnie both in space.

It was one way traffic as Dundee surged forward and they got the goal their play merited with fifteen minutes left to play. Malone's cross low from the left let in Antoine-Curier who turned the ball past Main at thenfront post to send the Dundee fans wild.

With fifteen minutes remaining both teams slugged it out with the Perth side surging forward at every given opportunity. An Eric Paton long throw-in found Curier but his attempted bicycle-kick an was cut out as Saints got it clear.

Antoine-Curier then turned provider as he picked out Paton on the right but the defender's shot ran wide. A searching Saints long ball forward dropped for Milne and Douglas pulled off a superb save and kept Jocky Scott's unbeaten record intact.

There however was still enough time on the clock for Dundee to search for the winner: McHale flicked it over the defence to let Antoine-Curier in. The Frenchman went for the shot but with the home fans on their feet the ball landed agonisingly past the upright.

Match report written by Joanna Topping - Official Dundee website