Saints 1-0 Dundee

Saturday 25th August

Tony Watt scored the only goal of the game 6 minutes into the second half as Saints got their first Premiership win of the season today against Dundee at McDiarmid Park.

It was a tightly contested first half, where the game was really end to end with both teams having great chances to score. However, neither team could finish those chances that were given to them.

Saints got a great start to the second half as they opened the scoring on 51 minutes when Tony Watt ran through on goal, slotting it into the far corner of Jack Hamilton’s goal.

Dundee looked to find the equaliser in the dying embers of the game, with Moussa coming closest for the visitors. A great ball in fell to the Tunisian in the 6-yard box, who directed his glancing header towards goal but Zander Clark produced a great save to deny Dundee a point.

MATCH REPORT

Saints were looking to pick off from last week’s win against Queen of the South, having won 4-2 after extra-time in the Betfred Cup in Dumfries. Tommy Wright made one change to the team that started last Saturday as David McMillan came in for Blair Alston, who dropped to the bench. Dundee were looking to bounce back after last week’s 3-0 defeat to Championship side Ayr United in the Betfred Cup as Neil McCann made four change to his side. Steven Caulker, Glen Kamara, Paul McGowan and Benjamin Källman came in to replace Genséric Kusunga, Lewis Spence Elton N’Gwatala and Craig Wighton.

Saints got the match underway.

10 minutes into the game an early spell of Dundee possession lead to the visitors winning a corner, which was the first chance of the game. The ball was floated in towards the head of Steven Caulker whose header glanced wide of Clark’s left.

A great tackle by Matthew Kennedy gave him the ball, which he then chipped through to Watt on the left-hand side, Watt’s driving run lead to a shot in which Jack Hamilton parried before calmly collecting it. 12 minutes played.

On 15 minutes Saints were forced to make a change when Murray Davidson limped off to be replaced by Blair Alston.

After 24 minutes, a Dundee shot from 25 yards out was tipped over the bar by Zander Clark, the resultant corner lead to nothing.

A ball over the top by Liam Craig to Matthew Kennedy who crossed the ball which fell kindly to McMillan but he couldn’t keep his effort on target. Seconds later Kennedy’s cross again down the 6-yard line fell to no one as it raced across the face of the Dark Blues goal. An end to end game with both teams having great chances as the half an hour mark goes by.

It was then Dundee’s turn to have a try straight after the Saints attack, a shot was straight at Zander Clark who palmed the ball out for Dundee to regain possession. A neat pass was played into the feet of the Benjamin Källman who had a shot which went narrowly wide of the post.

A pass inside the box to Drey Wright by McMillan after 37 minutes was chipped into Matthew Kennedy, but his volley was straight at Jack Hamilton.

Just before the half time whistle, a Blair Alston pass was fed into Tony Watt whose run down the right took him to the byline, his shot was fizzed at Jack Hamilton, however he managed to palm it out for a corner, which lead to nothing.

Saints got a great start to the second half as 6 minutes in the Dundee defence all stop just after the half way line, thinking Tony Watt was offside, however he latched onto a long ball before cantering down the left-hand side and cut in to poked the ball past Jack Hamilton. Saints 1-0 up and deservedly so.

Dundee were loading men forward as the end of the game approached and the ball was chipped into the box by Jesse Curran picking out Moussa whose header was straight at Zander Clark who made a fantastic point blank save. A game of dozens of chances for both teams, Saints arguably the better team throughout the spell, however Dundee had been prominent throughout the first half an hour. Tony Watt’s second half strike the difference between both teams.

Saints: Clark, Foster, Tanser, Kerr, Shaughnessy, Wright, Kennedy, Davidson (Alston 15), Craig, McMillan (Hendy 78), Watt (McCann 87)

Unused Substitutes: Mitchell (GK), Anderson, Scougall, Gordon

Booked: None

Scorer: Watt (51)

Dundee: Hamilton, Ralph, Caulker, Kamara, Mendy (N’Gwatala 62), Nabi (Wighton 87), McGowan, Källman, Meekings, Curran, Madianga (Moussa 82). Unused Substitutes: Parish (GK), Kerr, Jeffries, Spence

Booked: None

Referee- Steven McLean

Attendance: 4,259

Match Report by Ruairidh Smith

Picture: Tony Watt scores the only goal of the game