Head to Head | Dundee

We head to Dens Park today in the Ladbrokes Premiership for a Tayside Derby with Dundee in what is the final game before the winter break.

It's the second meeting of the season between the clubs with Saints triumphing at McDiarmid Park back in August thanks to a Tony Watt goal.

Dundee come into the match unbeaten in four matches at home under new boss Jim McIntyre while the Saints players will be full of confidence following our Boxing Day win at St. Mirren which extended our winning streak away from home to five matches.

HISTORY

Today's match is the 171st meeting between the two clubs and we first squared off against Dundee back in October 1924 in a home fixture at the Recreation Grounds.

It was a League Division One match and on that day it was the visitors Dundee who came away with a 1-2 win.

In what was described as a tousy affair, Dundee were reduced to ten men with Ross being sent off in front of 15,000 spectators.

Duncan netted twice for Dundee either side of Saints centre-forward Jimmy Fleming who had equalised for the home side.

Back in December 1964, hat-tricks were scored by either side in a thrilling 4-4 draw at Dens Park.

Jackie Coburn netted three times for Saints with Alan Gilzean matching that feat for Dundee. John Flanagan notched the other goal for the Perth men with Andy Penman scoring for the home side in front of 12,000 supporters.

A game fans may remember from slightly more recent times was Paul Sturrock's first match in charge of Saints when Allan Moore struck the only goal of the match in a victory for the away side at Dens Park in front of 4,864 spectators.

Of course, the unforgettable 7-2 New Years' Day 1997 thrashing Saints handed Dundee is a game supporters look back on with great fondness too. In a campaign which eventually saw the club promoted back to the top flight, braces from Roddy Grant and Leigh Jenkinson plus goals from Phillip Scott, Steve Tosh and George O'Boyle put the visitors to the sword in front of 7,087 fans.

Just a few seasons later and there was another memorable match at McDiarmid Park when Paul Kane scored the only goal in a 1-0 victory which secured UEFA Cup qualification for Sandy Clark's side. That match remains to this day the record attendance at McDiarmid Park - 10,545.

There have been plenty more memorable meetings between the two sides so let's hope for something similar this afternoon!

Head to Head Record:

PL: 170 W: 55 D: 41 L: 74 GF: 218 GA: 278

TOMMY WRIGHT RECORD

The record between the two sides has been very even since Tommy Wright took charge of the club and up until last season - where Saints lost three times to their rivals - the record favoured the Perth men.

Under the current manager, the club has recorded 6 wins to Dundee's 7, with two draws between the sides.

While last season's results against the Dens Park outfit didn't go to plan on the whole, the 4-0 victory away to Dundee in the 2017/18 campaign does give Saints cause for optimism as well as the victory at home to their rivals earlier in the current season.

Kick-off is at 3PM this afternoon at Dens Park.