A-Jay was oh-so fab

PLAYERRATINGS Ref grabs attention but Leitch-Smith is top man

FIVE goals, three penalties, a sending-off — two if you include Dundee No 2 Graham Gartland — this was a Tayside derby to remember.

However, the vast majority of fans left talking about only one man, referee Alan Muir.

He’s one of the most experienced whistlers we’ve got but, on Saturday at Dens, you would have thought he had just come from his referee lessons with less than full marks.

He infuriated players and fans of both sides with 90 minutes worth of baffling decisions.

They included two of the three spotkicks, Saints’ first and Dundee’s only one being of the dubious variety, and the decision to chalk off what looked a good Steven Anderson header for what would have been Saints’ leveller was, perhaps, the most baffling.

However, that should in no way detract from the fact that Dundee deserved their first three points of the season against a Saints side who took an awful long time to get going.

In A-Jay Leitch-Smith, Dundee had the game’s top performer.

He got off to a flier when a horrendous Alan Mannus error gifted him a simple tap-in for the home side’s eighth-minute opener.

That came five minutes after Roarie Deacon, who has been a star for Dundee this season, was hurt in a challenge from Brian Easton.

That negated his influence and necessitated his removal midway through the first half.

However, by that time, Leitch-Smith had assumed the mantle of the main man.

He further emphasised that with a well-taken second goal and he also had a hand in Dundee’s third.

Referee Muir adjudged he was fouled by Richard Foster despite the fact it looked a robust but fair challenge and the Saint looked like he got the ball.

Leitch-Smith certainly did enough to warrant inclusion against Celtic in Wednesday’s home Betfred Cup last-eight tie and it will be interesting to see how he gets on against them.

If he plays like he did against Saints, he should produce some moments of magic.

Certainly, his confidence is, rightly, high and his performance will have been noted by Celtic’s spy in the Dens Park main stand, former Hearts, Livingston and Raith boss John McGlynn.

Leitch-Smith had an able-supporting cast, which included the tidy and efficient Glen Kamara, the tireless Lewis Spence and the ever-willing Kevin Holt.

In fact, Holt was reasonably impressive fore and aft as he took every opportunity to attack.

The former QOS full-back also negated Saints’ thrusts down the right, repeatedly forcing David Wotherspoon to switch inside and, when Richard Foster moved forward, he managed to cut out the Saints man’s crosses.

One swallow doth not a summer make but this result could be the spark Dundee need to kick-start their league season.

They showed a desire and willingness and backed it up with nice play.

Saints may have disappointed but they still provided a stiff hurdle, especially when they hurled everything at Dundee late on.

Those closing 15 minutes showed Dundee could cling on, especially when Darren O’Dea was sent off for two yellow cards, as well as play with a bit of flair.