Morton’s 10 men frustrate Dundee

DUNDEE’S woes continued as they slipped into the bottom half of the table when they were unable to take advantage of facing 10 men for more than half an hour.

Kane Hemmings’ early strike was cancelled out by Morton’s Jim McAlister but the Dens men should have been more ruthless after Kyle Jacobs was sent off following a second yellow card.

Dundee boss James McPake said: ‘It’s massively concerning that we’ve gone four league games without a win and we’ve fallen down the table.

‘It was frustrating that we gave away a cheap goal to let them back into it and then we couldn’t beat 10 men.’

Dundee had not scored for

332 minutes when they took the lead after 12 minutes — and it was loan capture from Hearts, Christophe Berra, who set it up.

His long ball was cleverly taken by Hemmings who got away from Sean McGinty far too easily and drove a rightfooted shot into the left corner.

However, a silly foul conceded by Shaun Byrne just outside the Dundee box allowed Morton to equalise in 26 minutes.

Conor Hazard could not hold Nicky Cadden’s dipping free-kick and McAlister reached the loose ball first to shoot home from close range.

However, Jacobs then disadvantaged his side when he was shown a second yellow for a foul on Hemmings in 57 minutes.

Dundee’s Declan McDaid hit the post two minutes later and then Jordan Forster could not capitalise on the rebound but that was as close as the Dens men came to breaking down a resolute Cappielow side.

Morton boss David Hopkin said: ‘The sending-off changed the game. It was a coming together rather than a foul. My players were magnificent.’