Docherty delighted with Dundee ‘bravery’ after battling to victory
TONY DOCHERTY lavished praised the “bravery” of his Dundee players as they moved into the top six but he refused to get carried away after the 2-1 win over St Johnstone.
Amadou Bakayoko fired home a late winner for the visitors after Adama Sidibeh had equalised following Lyall Cameron’s breathtaking opener.
Docherty has repeatedly targeted securing 10 league wins on Dundee’s return to the top flight and that was achieved as the Dark Blues moved one point ahead of Hibs into sixth place. Whilst accepting the magnitude of the victory, Docherty pointed to the teams below Dundee in the table, rather than those ahead, with three more games remaining for his side until the split.
“It was a massive win,” Docherty said. “More importantly, I couldn’t be more proud of the players.
“Over the season you look at games and we’ve had a 4-0 and 4-1 but that today is a different type of win and a display of mentality, resilience and togetherness.
“It shows how much we’re developing as a team. There was an accusation earlier in the season that when we dominate we don’t win. To grind that out and win and be brave and make a tactical change to win it, the players took that on board and their bravery merited the three points.
“We’re 12 ahead of Ross County, 11 ahead of St Johnstone. Our big objective was to get 10 wins on the board. To get 10 as a newly promoted team with eight games left is a huge testament to the players. It’s a box ticked but we’ll keep going. We won’t get carried away.”
A scrappy encounter was illuminated by two sublime goals from either side courtesy of Lyall Cameron and Adama Sidibeh to leave the game delicately poised at 1-1 entering the final 10 minutes but Bakayoko tapped in from four yards in front of the ecstatic travelling contingent.
Dundee enjoyed the better of the opening stages and they broke the deadlock in stunning fashion through Cameron. Dimitar Mitov raced out of his box to beat Scott Tiffoney to a long ball but, with the visitors screaming for a handball from the St Johnstone goalkeeper, Cameron remained alert to drill a brilliant effort into the empty net from 40 yards out with Mitov stranded.
Saints then applied pressure on the Dundee backline in the second half and they were rewarded for their endeavours when Sidibeh equalised on the hour mark with a sensational acrobatic finish.
There was late drama as St Johnstone correctly had a goal ruled out after a long VAR check.
Craig Levein was left frustrated by that call and another refereeing decision as his St Johnstone side were denied a late equaliser.
Ryan McGowan had the ball in the net but referee Iain Sneddon stood by his initial decision that the St Johnstone defender had fouled Aaron Donnelly in the build-up when asked to review the incident on the pitchside monitor by VAR official Greg Aitken.
Levein conceded he hadn’t reviewed the incident but was surprised that ref Sneddon didn’t reverse his decision and he felt St Johnstone should have had a penalty for a foul on Sidibeh by Dundee goalkeeper Jon McCracken.
“I haven’t had enough time to look properly,” Levein conceded. “It was one of those days for us. I don’t know what to say. Most times when the ref comes to look at the screen there’s an alteration in the result.
“I don’t like going to ask [the referee] because I’ll say something I’ll regret. In the first half we should have had a pen I thought.
“Their goalie brought down Adama but for it not to be looked at puzzles me. The goalie took the ball. They protect themselves by raising their knees but he pushed his knee out to the right and caught Adama on the thigh and they haven’t looked at it. That I’d like an answer to.”