Dundee have the Wright stuff to move clear of relegation
LiviNgSToN 1
Halkett (19)
DuNDEE 2
Nelson (54), Wright (83)
Dundee moved out of the relegation places for the first time since August after they came from behind to climb above Hamilton Accies into 10th position.
Astonishingly, ten of the 13 players who featured when Jim McIntyre lost 4-0 here in his first game as Dundee manager four months ago are no longer at the club, which says a great deal about the mess he was asked to clean up.
Even so, it was Livingston who carved out the first opening in the eighth minute.
Hakeem Odoffin burst to the byline and crossed to the far post for Scott Pittman, who forced the ball goalwards but couldn’t connect properly, which allowed Dundee keeper Seny Dieng to save easily.
The Dark Blues replied with a similarly rampaging run from James Horsfield but Andrew Nelson wasted the full-back’s excellent delivery, heading over from six yards out.
But their cause was helped when the home side were reduced to 10 men after only a quarter of an hour.
It looked as though fourth official John Beaton made the call as referee Greig Aitken initially allowed play to continue before showing a straight red card to midfielder Shaun Byrne.
Byrne had cleaned out Andy Dales as he surged past him on the half-way line, and his ordering off left Livi a man short for an hour and a quarter.
Then it was Scott Wright’s turn to miss a sitter for Dundee.
Nelson’s mishit shot fell perfectly for the on-loan Aberdeen star, but he somehow managed to spoon his shot over the bar from just eight yards.
Dundee soon paid for that howler when Livi’s back three combined to give their ten men a shock lead just four minutes later.
Dundee conceded all four goals from set plays here in October and were punished from another on this occasion.
Alan Lithgow’s long throw was back-headed by Declan Gallagher to the far post, where skipper Craig Halkett drove it beyond Dieng from point-blank range for the Lions’ first goal of 2019.
The visitors had looked better against 11 men than they did against ten, though, and Livi kept them at bay without ever really being troubled.
Nelson did send Wright clear four minutes before the break but the youngster failed to hit the target.
Two minutes after the break, Livi ought to have doubled their lead when Scott Pittman nodded Ryan Hardie’s cross down for Scott Robinson – but he showed no composure and shot straight at Dieng from 12 yards.
As before, that miss came at a price, but this time it was Livi who had to pay.
In the 54th minute, Nelson lofted a header over Liam Kelly from Wright’s cross for his fourth goal since moving to Dens Park last month.
Livi still threatened, though, and Hardie curled a 15-yarder just inches outside of Dieng’s left-hand post.
However, after Keighan Jacobs had been booked for a tired foul on Jesse Curran, Wright curled the free-kick from 18 yards out into the postage-stamp corner.
Dundee held on for three vital points, which lifted them above Hamilton - who went down 2-0 at Hibs – and into 10th spot in the league.
For Livi, in ninth spot, but 13 points clear of Dundee, it was a ninth game without a win in all competitions.