premiership
TOMMY WRIGHT left Dens Park furious at referee Alan Muir after St Johnstone lost their first league game of the season.
The Perth boss admitted his team should have played better but he was extremely angry that Muir disallowed a Steven Anderson goal then awarded Dundee a penalty a minute later, which turned out to be the winner.
“I have to watch what I say or I’ll end up in a lot of trouble,” he said afterwards.
“We gave away two shocking goals then the game turns on two big incidents.
“Ando jumps higher than any Dundee player so I’ve no idea why he called a foul. The second is beyond me as to how he can give Dundee a penalty.
“The ref told me it was for body contact but Richard Foster clearly won the ball.”
Dundee must wish they could play Saints every week. This was their fourth successive home victory against their Tayside neighbours and lifts them off the bottom of the league.
But they did it the hard way, twice being two to the good.
Dundee got off to a perfect start when A-Jay Leitch-Smith was left with a tap-in after visiting goalie Alan Manus failed to hold an O’Dea header.
When A-Jay doubled the lead midway through the second-half, the points looked safe.
Saints struggled to clear a free-kick and Leitch-Smith drove the ball high into the net.
Most thought it was all over but it was only just beginning.
Dundee keeper Scott Bain raced to the edge of the penalty area to bring down Graham Cummins. Liam Craig calmly scored from the spot.
Next came Anderson’s disallowed goal when he climbed above O’Dea to head in a Craig corner only for the ref to blow for a foul before awarding Dundee a spot-kick a minute when he adjudged Foster to have brought down Leitch-Smith.
Sofien Moussa blasted Dundee back into a two goal lead. But not for long.
O’Dea and Anderson had tussled all game at dead-ball situations. The Dundee captain had already been booked so when he hauled down Anderson near the end he received a second yellow before Craig scored again from the spot.
Even with five minutes of added time Saints couldn’t conjure up an equaliser as Dundee deservedly held on.