Adam’s spot-kick agony keeps Saints’ double dream alive
Callum Davidson bucked the manager of the month jinx to keep his lacklustre Saints on track for a cup double.
But it was an anxious 90 minutes for the Betfred Cup-winning manager before he could claim their first Scottish Cup victory at Dens Park and advance to the last 16.
His goalkeeper, Zander Clark, had to atone for gifting Charlie Adam a chance to equalise from the penalty spot after Guy Melamed’s first-half opener.
Davidson admitted his heart was in his mouth when veteran midfielder Adam stepped up to take the second half spot-kick.
“I thought Charlie would score. I have watched him take penalties enough times and it was a fantastic save by Zander,” said Davidson.
“I’m not sure what the penalty was given for. But we felt we should have had one in the first half. Maybe these things balance themselves out.
“This is a tough place to come.
They have a Premier League squad and I’m just delighted to be in the next round.”
While at times Saints rode their luck, Davidson was delighted that Melamed and Stevie May linked up for the crucial goal.
“It was a good run by Stevie and we know Guy has that quality. He has that great habit of putting the ball in the net.”
As expected, Adam was restored to the Dark Blues midfield after virus and suspension issues but both managers produced surprises in their starting line-ups, with Mcpake opting to leave Jason Cummings and Paul Mcgowan on the bench.
Perth manager Davidson rested Chris Kane to team up May and Melamed for the first Scottish Cup tie between the teams at Dens for 35 years.
In the 11th minute Dundee midfielder Declan Mcdaid stepped on to a short pass from Max Anderson but his curling effort from 25 yards edged agonisingly wide of the target.
Saints forged ahead in the 20th minute when Melamed underlined his finishing prowess by squeezing an instinctive low shot beyond keeper Adam Legzdins to find the net via an upright from 12 yards.
The Israeli’s frontline partner May did the spadework with a long punt which evaded Liam Fontaine and Melamed calmly stroked home his sixth goal of the season. It was a scrappy affair but only the width of the crossbar denied Paul Mcmullan a spectacular 37th-minute equaliser when the Dark Blues winger let fly from 25 yards.
Clark was beaten by his wickedly dipping strike and the Perth keeper was relieved to see it clip the bar en route to a goal kick.
Before the break Melamed was halted by Legzdins diving bravely at his feet as he tried to walk a May pass round the Dundee keeper.
Dundee thought they had levelled the tie in the 50th minute when keeper Clark lost his grip on a cross and Danny Mullen gleefully rolled the ball into the vacant net.
But after a touchline consultation with his flagging assistant, referee Napier agreed Mullen had strayed offside and the goal wouldn’t stand.
Dens manager Mcpake was cautioned for his furious response to the controversial decision.
Clark was involved in further controversy in the 69th minute when he left his line and mistimed a challenge, wiping out Mullen and defender Liam Gordon in the process and a penalty kick was awarded.
Skipper Adam stepped up to take the spot kick but the keeper redeemed himself by diving low to his left to touch the midfielder’s effort onto the post and claim the rebound.