Dundee bounce back from midweek mauling to beat St Mirren

Dundee bounced back from their 5-0 midweek defeat to Ross County to claim a first league away win of the season at St Mirren.

Max Anderson’s 11th-minute strike proved to be the only goal of the game with the Dark Blues holding firm throughout the second half as Jim Goodwin’s men chased an equaliser that never came.

St Mirren were unchanged from the side that drew with Motherwell in midweek, with last season’s top scorer Jamie McGrath still unavailable through injury.

Dundee made three changes from the line-up thrashed by County. Out went Jordan McGhee, Leigh Griffiths and Jason Cummings, replaced by Luke McCowan, Cillian Sheridan and Anderson.

The home side had the first noteworthy chance of the game, with Adam Legzdins making a strong save to keep out Marcus Fraser’s header.

A minute later and Dundee were in front. Paul McMullan touched the ball to Anderson and he side-footed a shot past Jak Alnwick into the bottom corner.

It could have been 2-0 shortly afterwards only for Conor McCarthy to make a goal-line block after Paul McGowan had been allowed to run in on goal.

Saints responded with an Eamonn Brophy shot that was saved for a corner. And from the resultant Connor Ronan delivery, McCarthy headed wide at the back post.

Scott Tanser then hit the top of the crossbar from another St Mirren corner before only a brave block from Fraser denied McMullan at the other end.

Luke McCowan was next to try his luck, running in on goal before drilling in a low effort that was saved by Alnwick as Dundee went up the tunnel at half-time still a goal to the good.

St Mirren threatened first in the second half but Curtis Main’s volley from Tanser’s cross was well wide.

The home side thought they should have had a penalty following Ryan Sweeney’s challenge on Brophy but referee John Beaton felt otherwise.

Dundee then lost Cillian Sheridan after he fell to the turf and needed to be carried off on a stretcher, his replacement the former St Mirren striker Danny Mullen.

Another former Buddie, Charlie Adam, nearly caught out Alnwick with a dipping free-kick that had the goalkeeper scrambling back to tip away.

Saints responded with a Ronan drive that lacked the power to beat Legzdins, before substitute Kristian Dennis lashed a shot into the side-netting.

McMullan appealed hopefully for a penalty after running into Fraser but was turned away, before Tanser had one last chance that was saved as St Mirren ran out of ideas.