McIntyre left frustrated as side ‘deserved’ all three points

DUNDEE 0 MOTHERWELL 1

JIM McINTYRE, the Dundee manager, was left venting his overwhelming frustration as Motherwell escaped from Dens Park with maximum points while the relegationthreatened Taysiders rued a series of missed opportunities.

Fresh from having triumphed at Tynecastle just a few days earlier, McIntyre’s side had their sights set on securing back-to-back victories to enhance their hopes of Premiership survival. But they were dealt a suckerpunch when David Turnbull converted his decisive 60th-minute penalty after central defender Ryan Inniss’s moment of madness to prevent them climbing further away from the relegation zone.

It was tough on the Tayside club, who will revert to bottom spot should rivals St Mirren get the better of Hibs this afternoon.

“To say it was frustrating is stating the obvious because we put so much into the game,” bemoaned McIntyre. “We didn’t deserve to lose that game. In my opinion, we deserved to win it.

“But we didn’t punish Motherwell in the first half when we were on top and paid the price for a bad decision in our own penalty box.”

Things were tight early on although Andy Dales, the on-loan Scunthorpe United winger, did see his shot fizz past Motherwell keeper Mark Gillespie’s far post, not long after team-mate Jesse Curran was forced into an early departure through injury.

Dales was busy, but his effort from 20 yards went abysmally over the bar when he ought to have at least hit the target after the visitors had allowed him ample space to pick his spot.

Something similar happened just prior to half time when Dundee’s Martin Woods pounced on yet more slack defending but he too was guilty of hitting a woeful shot wide.

Their absence of a killer touch afflicted them again on the stroke of half time. Motherwell defender Charles Dunne was brushed aside allowing Andy Nelson a clear shot at goal, only for the former Sunderland strike to pull his effort well wide.

From a rare flowing Motherwell move, substitute Elliot Frear was clattered into by Inniss in full view of referee Willie Collum.

Turnbull stepped up to ensure an expert job from the spot as his effort sent Seny Dieng, the home keeper, in the opposite direction.

Jubilant Motherwell boss Stephen Robinson poured praised on his players for adding more momentum to their recent Premiership revival.

Robinson, whose side are now sitting 14 points away from the relegation zone, said: “That’s our third league win in a row, which is great.

“Dundee are a tough team fighting for their lives and made it hard for us.”