Saints 2-0 Dundee

Saints welcomed Dundee back to McDiarmid Park for the third time this season looking to bounce back from the defeat to Kilmarnock, while the visitors were looking to end a seven match losing streak.

Liam Gordon started in place of the suspended Jason Kerr in the only change to the starting line up from the last outing at Rugby Park.

It was seven minutes before the first real chance of the match and it fell to Saints as Matty Kennedy and Chris Kane linked with Matty then moving into the box but he saw his low effort saved by Dieng.

In the 10th minute there was a better chance for Saints as Matty Kennedy picked the ball up before whipping in a great cross for Callum Hendry who came close with a diving header.

Hendry again came close in the 18th minute with another header from a Kennedy cross but he couldn't hit the back of the net.

Saints dominated the first-half proceedings but Dundee had a rare Dundee attack when Curran’s header was stopped by Zander Clark who had little to do in throughout the match.

Kennedy was continuing to cause problems and once again found space to cross this time for Chris Kane but his header was well saved by Dieng.

A mistake by Foster results in Kenny Miller taking advantage as he started an attached which ended with Paul McGowan trying his luck but his effort crept over the crossbar.

Dundee kicked off the second half in the McDiarmid Park sunshine in what would be a cagey opening after the break.

The impressive Kennedy had the first chance of the as he showed his skill outside the box before firing towards goal with his deflected off Cammy Kerr for a corner.

In the 53rd minute Darren O’Dea is shown the first yellow card of the game following a challenge on the bright and enthusiastic Callum Hendry.

Scott Tanser took the resulting free-kick and he curled one over the wall past Dieng who managed to get a hand to it but couldn't keep it out putting Saints ahead to the delight of the home support.

It gave Tommy Wright's men confidence to kick on and a superb piece of skill by Callum Hendry allowed the striker to have a shot on goal from distance which forced Dieng into a good stop.

The second Saints goal came in the 68th minute, when Ross Callachan picked out Richard Foster on the right and the experienced full-back crossed for Callum Hendry who had acres of space at the back post and guided his header into the bottom right corner leaving Dieng with no chance.

Goalscorer Callum Hendry was replaced by Murray Davidson in the 73rd minute with a slight calf strain while Michael O’Halloran came off for Blair Alston five minutes later.

As the game drew to a close Matty Kennedy was given a standing ovation as the Man of the Match was replaced by Danny Swanson in the 88th minute with Saints winding down the clock on the way to all three points.

Dundee never looked likely to score in the latter stages and Alan Muir brought proceedings to a close after three minutes of stoppage time meaning that Saints will end this season with a 100% record and zero goals conceded against our Tayside rivals.

Match Report by Martin Hawkins

SAINTS: Clark, Foster, Tanser, Shaughnessy, Gordon, Craig, Callachan, Kennedy (Swanson 88), O’Halloran (Alston 78), Hendry (Davidson 73), Kane

UNUSED SUBS: Bell, Wotherspoon, Easton, Goss

SCORERS: Tanser (53), Hendry (68)

DUNDEE: Dieng, Kerr, Ralph, O’Dea, O’Sullivan, Wright, McGowan, Robson, McGowan, Miller, Curran

SUBS: Parish, Kusunga, Woods, Dales, Nelson, Curran, Moore.

REFEREE: Alan Muir.