St Johnstone 2-0 Dundee

Sep 28 2008 John Hughes Reports

First Division

RAGING Dundee boss Alex Rae slammed his shot-shy slackers after poor finishing allowed Saints to snatch victory. Two second-half strikes by Paul Sheerin and Steven Milne won it for the Perth side who had been under the cosh for most of the game.

And Rae was furious his players chucked it after going 2-0 down.

He said: "I asked formore of the same at half-time.

"But after the second goal went in no one stood up to be counted.

"We don't seem to be scoring and we're finding it difficult to come back into games. "

The Dens Park side almost took the lead early on but Barry McKenzie headed Freddie Dacquin's corner just wide.

Eddie Malone then slotted a free-kick into the penalty area and found Chris Tozniak whose header was tipped over by Alan Main.

Most of early play centred around midfield with Dundee enjoying the bulk of possession.

Craig McKeown missed a great chance when he nodded Dacquin's free-kick wide from six yards.

The Dark Blues piled on the pressure and Mickael Antoine-Curier headed a Mark Gilhaney free-kick over.

Minutes later Rhian Dodds should have done better when he mis-hit Gilhaney's cross from just 10 yards out.

As half-time approached Collin Samuel fired Saints' first decent opportunity into the side-netting.

Dacquin squandered another chance at the start of the second period when he fired wide with only Main to beat.

And Dundee paid for that miss in 54 minutes when St Johnstone took the lead against the run of play.

Sheerin found space before smashing a sensational 20-yard strike beyond helpless keeper Rab Douglas. Colin McMenamin replaced Dacquin and minutes later Main did well to hold a long-range strike from Gilhaney.

With 10 minutes left McMenamin headed a corner inches over.

However, the game was beyond them five minutes from time when Milne's right-foot drive from 18 yards flew into the net.

St Johnstone gaffer Derek McInnes said: "It was a hard-fought victory but any derby is always going to be that way.

"It was won by two magnificent goals from two top players."

MoM: Sheerin (St Johnstone)