Postpublished at 18:38 Greenwich Mean Time 1 March
HT: St Mirren 1-2 Celtic
Back to business in Paisley...
Simon Murray equalised for the hosts against their Tayside rivals
Dundee missed out on the chance to move six points clear of bottom side St Johnstone after being held to a draw by their relegation rivals at Dens Park.
Both managers were satisfied with the point and stressed the importance of avoiding defeat as the gap between the league's bottom two remains just three points.
Docherty's hosts had to come from behind to earn a point but passed up numerous opportunities to claim all three.
Saints striker Makenzie Kirk fired the visitors ahead after 40 minutes with his 10th goal of the season, but their lead did not last.
Simon Murray latched on to captain Joe Shaughnessy's flick-on to net his 16th of the campaign and equalise just before half time.
The hosts dominated the second period but failed to find a winner. Aaron Donnelly, Murray and Scott Tiffoney were all guilty of missing big chances as Dundee make it eight matches without a win.
Dundee have not won since beating St Johnstone at the start of January.
At that point, there were four league places and 10 points between the sides.
This match presented the hosts an opportunity to put some distance between themselves and bottom spot, but they failed to take it.
Just as they did against Motherwell on Wednesday, Dundee saved their best for the second half, but their best was not enough.
This team has no issue controlling matches, they just cannot seem to knit things together in the final third and that is why they are still in a relegation battle.
St Johnstone are not playing like a side who are going down.
Manager Simo Valakari conceded before this match that his side are favourites for the drop, but recent performances suggest that there is plenty of fight left in his team.
Despite missing out on the opportunity to move level on points with Saturday's opponents, a point away from home keeps them within touching distance.
The supporters stayed behind to applaud the players off the pitch at full-time; they still believe.
Perhaps the great escape is on.
Dundee manager Tony Docherty: "I know the importance of the winning the game, but there's also an importance of not losing the game.
"We looked solid with Joe [Shaughnessy] in there organising. The biggest positive I can take is that my captain is back. We've stopped the rot and we've picked up a point, but it maybe should've been three."
St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari: "One of our issues has been in these games, when we cannot win, we have lost it. We could not win, but we were able to the get draw - I am very pleased with that.
"I'm very happy with how we defended these moments at the end. Overall, an okay away performance."
Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
29 | 24 | 3 | 2 | 87 | 17 | 70 | 75 |
| |
29 | 18 | 5 | 6 | 59 | 26 | 33 | 59 |
| |
28 | 12 | 5 | 11 | 36 | 44 | -8 | 41 |
| |
28 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 42 | 39 | 3 | 40 |
| |
28 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 34 | 34 | 0 | 40 |
| |
29 | 11 | 4 | 14 | 34 | 48 | -14 | 37 |
| |
28 | 10 | 6 | 12 | 40 | 38 | 2 | 36 |
| |
29 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 31 | 49 | -18 | 35 |
| |
29 | 10 | 4 | 15 | 35 | 47 | -12 | 34 |
| |
29 | 8 | 7 | 14 | 33 | 47 | -14 | 31 |
| |
29 | 7 | 7 | 15 | 41 | 61 | -20 | 28 |
| |
29 | 7 | 4 | 18 | 32 | 54 | -22 | 25 |
|
Manager: Tony Docherty
Formation: 4 - 3 - 3
Manager: Simo Valakari
Formation: 3 - 4 - 3
Manager: Tony Docherty
Formation: 4 - 3 - 3
Manager: Simo Valakari
Formation: 3 - 4 - 3
We're still improving Match stats. Let us know what you think.
Take surveyScottish Premiership
All competitions
All competitions
All competitions
Dundee have won three of their last four league meetings with St. Johnstone (L1), more than their previous 11 beforehand (W2 D3 L6).
After their 2-1 win in October, St. Johnstone could win away to Dundee twice within a single top-flight season for the first time since 1998-99.
Dundee have lost each of their last five league games, their longest such run in the Scottish Premiership since January 2022 (6).
St. Johnstone have won three of their last five league games (L2), as many as their previous 21 beforehand (W3 D3 L15).
Makenzie Kirk has scored six goals for St. Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership this season, the most by a player while aged 21 or younger for the club in a single league campaign since Stevie May in 2013-14 (20).