The Dee end the year on a high note
PAUL HARTLEY last night hailed his Dundee side for ending 2016 on a high with a thumping win over St Johnstone.
The Dark Blues moved to within striking distance of the top six after racking up three goals without reply against dismal Saints.
It was the Dee’s fifth unbeaten game in a row at Dens Park.
And Hartley reckons that now they are firing, the only way is up for his resurgent side.
“It’s a nice way to finish off 2016,” said the Dark Blues boss.
“It hasn’t been easy since the start of the season – we know that.
“But if we can manage to keep turning in performances like that then we’ll be climbing the table.”
After surviving an early St Johnstone flurry, Dundee were by far the better side in the Hogmanay Tayside derby.
Hartley’s side were assured in defence, mobile in midfield, and clinical in attack.
Saints, by contrast, were sloppy all across the park.
Hartley said: “Faissal El Bakhtaoui gave us that little bit of energy, as did Craig Wighton, while Mark O’Hara gave us a bit of drive from the middle of the park.
“But you have to credit the boys behind them too.
“Not many teams will beat St Johnstone 3-0. “They are a good opposition.” Saints’ performances – not to mention league finishes – over the last four or five years are proof enough of that.
But the Perth side were simply not at the races at Dens Park.
Their manager was left to lament the errors that cost his side.
Tommy Wright said: “The first goal is a counter attack goal which we should deal with better.
“The second goal we should win the first ball, then we don’t get anywhere near winning the second ball, and we leave a man free in the box.
“The third goal it’s a mistake – Pates gets caught in possession.
“But I’m not going to be too hard on the players because it was a good performance and they kept going right to the end.”
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