Dundee let slip a 2-0 lead but still earned their first win of the season in the William Hill Premiership thanks to a dramatic, injury-time penalty after Livingston had battled back to 2-2 in a see-saw battle at Dens Park.
Livingston’s stand-in skipper Danny Wilson was involved in the penalty incident deep into injury time and the three points lifted the Tayside team into fifth place in the table. Livingston slip to eighth.
The visitors looked a far better side after second-half substitutions, and they had momentum in their favour when they stormed back to level, and they could have gone ahead but Dundee’s goalkeeper, Jon McCracken, and a defender somehow managed to scramble the ball to safety.
Earlier, David Martindale’s men suffered a pre-game disappointment when skipper Ryan McGowan was forced to miss the game through illness, fit-again Shane Blaney took his place.
Defensive midfielder, Mahamadou Susoho, Spanish-born, and a 20-year-old loan signing from Manchester City, was on the bench, a far cry from a previous Champions League outing for Pep Guardiola’s side.
The visitors, however, had early chances which they failed to convert, one of them fell to Robbie Muirhead. He had a sight of goal on the right, but his low drive was parried by home stopper, Jon McCracken, for a corner. The corner was cleared.
On-loan Hearts midfielder, Macaulay Tait, also had an opportunity, but his shot was at a comfortable height and easily gathered by the home goalkeeper and the match became a midfield battle, with the home side enjoying more possession but failing to make it count.
A slack pass out of defence, however, presented Dundee with their first real opportunity but Ethan Hamilton’s drive was wide. Then, Cameron Congreve shot from 20 yards but the ball flew over the bar.
However, Dundee broke and powered up-field. They found space on the right side of the Livingston half and on-loan Congreve left his marker before providing an inch-perfect pass to Dundee skipper Simon Murray. He was standing unmarked at the far post and the former Ross County striker side footed home from close range.
Cue his traditional enthusiastic goal celebration, running behind the net with arm raised to the delight of the home fans. Time 43 minutes.
This provided a rare half-time lead for the home side and boss, former Hearts defender, Steven Pressley, was desperate to hang onto the slender advantage. His men started the second-half as they finished the first, on the front foot.
Livingston battled on and tried to make an impact as Dundee kept a tight grip on midfield. The Dens Park side broke and Finlay Robertson threatened down the right, but Livingston stayed calm.
Former Dundee player Mo Sylla was booked for a foul on the left touchline as the home side continued to press and Finlay Robertson picked up a loose ball on the left. His shot was disappointingly wide of Jerome Prior’s left hand post.
Livingston carried a threat and Adam Montgomery worked his way down the left. The ball eventually fell to busy Lewis Smith, but he scuffed his shot tamely wide.
Tait then earned a yellow card for a foul as frustration grew in The Lions ranks, but Robertson’s free-kick was straight into Prior’s arms. A real waste.
Livi boss David Martindale had seen enough and former St Johnston and Aberdeen striker, Stevie May, was summoned from the bench along with Connor McLennan, Sylla and Teti Yengi were removed.
May slotted into midfield but it was Dundee who showed first. They latched onto a loose ball at half-way and Prior made a quality diving stop to deny Congreve, but the knot of Livi fans in the stands were made to suffer seconds later.
Dundee powered down the right, again through on-loan Swansea City player, Congreve, and his low ball across the penalty box found English striker, Joe Westley, who side-footed home from close range, almost an identical goal from their first. Time 66 minutes.
The 2-0 scoreline forced Martindale into a three substitutions with Graham Carey, Jeremy Bokila and Susoho, coming on and Scott Pittman, Tait and Muirhead making way.
Pressley also made changes with midfielder Tony Yogane being removed, but it was Livingston who threatened next, with Smith showing quality and testing McCracken but the goalkeeper was equal to it.
A lifeline for Livingston came when Dundee lost a goal through sloppy defence. The West Lothian combine found space on the right and a low ball into the box saw Dundee defender Clark Robertson attempting to clear. However, he sent the ball into his own net. Time: 74 minutes.
Dens boss Pressley reacted by making several substitutions as he desperately tried to hold onto the three points, and Martindale showed his frustration on the stand-side touchline.
The Dundee boss paced around his technical area, hands in pockets, and Dundee had a great chance to claim a third but Blaney made a crucial challenge near the penalty spot as the Tayside team threatened again.
The ball, however, was fired up-field and skipper Robertson was involved in an incident in the box as Livingston mounted a late charge. The referee pointed to the spot and Bokila sent the ball high into the net with his left foot despite a despairing dive from McCracken. Time 83 minutes.
Livi fans in the crowd of 5,018 celebrated and Martindale’s second-half substitutions had made a real difference. However, Dundee had a golden chance but unmarked Ashley Hay sent the ball over the bar from a great position in front of goal.
Livingston responded and Smith worked his way down the right before swinging in a great cross, but none of his colleagues took advantage as the clock ticked into the 89th minute.
May was given a yellow card as he scrapped for a ball just inside the Livi half and the tempo increased as both side looked for an opening. Seconds later Dundee earned a corner on the right, but Samuels corner was headed well wide.
At the other end, McCracken produced a great stop to deny Livingston’s Smith.
Dundee then broke down the right and Dundee player Charlie Reilly made a darting run into the box. Wilson (pictured) brought him down and the referee pointed to the spot. He was sent to the monitor and took his time before again pointing to the spot.
Wilson was downcast as Callum Jones lined up the spot kick. It had been a long wait, but the 24-year-old Englishman, who represents Wales at international level, made no mistake, calmly sending Prior the wrong way and guiding the ball high into the net with his right foot. He was mobbed by his teammates. Time: 97 minutes.
The Lions are now without a win in 20 away games in the William Hill Premiership, a worrying statistic, but Martindale will take some positives from the game and his men showed real character to battle back to 2-2 before that late penalty sealed their fate.
