Dundee down Hearts to record first Premiership win

Luke McCowan watches his chip fly into the net

Luke McCowan's delightful chip gave Dundee a first Scottish Premiership win since promotion as they crept past Hearts at Dens Park.

The visitors pushed for an equaliser that wouldn't come, as they recorded their first loss of the new league campaign.

Dundee's win was also a first in the league for manager Tony Docherty after his appointment in the summer.

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There was doubt over whether McCowan was even supposed to start after some confusion with the teamsheets. No change was forthcoming and the temporarily-blond bombshell began.

It was just as well. He was Dundee's brightest spark in a terrible first half, alongside Scott Tiffoney. There was only one shot on target for both sides - a nothing half-volley from Finlay Robertson.

Hearts had made five changes from the side narrowly beaten by Greek side PAOK in the Europa Conference League play-off first leg on Thursday night, and it showed. They knocked it around well but there was no cohesion, no fluidity, and no chances of note.

The additions of Nathaniel Atkinson and Liam Boyce at half-time made a difference and Stephen Kingsley went close with a free-kick that Trevor Carson had to tip over.

But Dundee floored their visitors with a counter-punch in the form of McCowan's dink. Aidan Denholm's backpass was picked off and McCowan finished with aplomb.

Hearts pressed and pressed, but the ball wouldn't sit. When it might normally fall to Lawrence Shankland, it fell to Frankie Kent. The centre-back's fresh-air swipe summed it up.

Player of the Match - Luke McCowan (Dundee)

The winger's ability to create something from nothing could keep Dundee safe

Fruitless Hearts' away woes continue - analysis

Hearts haven't won outside Edinburgh - or Perth - since October last year. Two wins on the road in 14 attempts - both against St Johnstone. It's far from good enough for a side with ambitions of third place.

Of course, they've had to contend with Europe and it's hard to say if the management department got the starting XI wrong as a result. Were Cammy Devlin and Atkinson fit enough to start? Liam Boyce certainly wasn't.

Alex Lowry sparkled but his end product let him down. Yutaro Oda struggled, Kenneth Vargas showed quality in small flashes. The attacking element of this side still need to gel.

As for Dundee, they were opportunistic - but that's what you need to do against a side with more quality across the park. They absorbed the pressure and picked Hearts off with a single blow.

What they said

Dundee manager Tony Docherty: "I was really pleased with the our performance. Our last two performances have been a bit bitty. I wanted a 90-minute performance today and I got that.

"The start of the second half, Hearts were strong and put us on the back foot but we got through it. Overall, we merited the win and it's reward for the hard work the players have put in.

Hearts' technical director Steven Naismith: "[We were] really poor. We didn't deserve anything from the game. It was compounded by a terrible goal to lose. [On the] first half performance, we're fortunate to be drawing at half-time.

"We make three substitutions at half-time that impacts the game. We dominate and start creating chances, playing the way we have in the past. For whatever reason, we go away from that. We start making poor decisions with the ball. The games become bitty and slow when we have the ball. That's poor management of the game from us.

What's next?

Dundee have a league trip to face St Johnstone on Saturday (15:00 BST), while Hearts travel to Greece on Thursday to face PAOK in the second leg of their Europa Conference League play-off (18:30) then host Motherwell in the Premiership next Sunday (15:00).