Dundee's Callum Jones scoresSNS

Callum Jones scored Dundee's winning goal

At a glance

  • Callum Jones' stoppage-time penalty secures a win that lifts Dundee to fifth in the Scottish Premiership.

  • Dundee led through Simon Murray and Joe Westley, but a Clark Robertson own goal and Jeremy Bokila penalty levelled for Livingston.

  • Livingston drop to eighth place.

Scottish Football Podcast

20/9/2025

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Clive Lindsay
BBC Sport Scotland

Dundee secured their first Scottish Premiership win of the season after a dramatic finale as Callum Jones' penalty deep into stoppage-time denied Livingston side a point after a heroic comeback.

Steven Pressley's side looked to be in control thanks to goals from Simon Murray and Joe Westley either side of half-time.

But Clark Robertson scored an own goal and a conceded a penalty kick as Jeremy Bokila levelled for Livingston with only seven minutes remaining, only for Jones to step up to secure the three points after Danny Wilson was ruled to have hacked down Charlie Reilly.

The win moves Dundee up to fifth place after the only top-flight game being played this weekend, with others involved in Premier Sports Cup quarter-final action.

Livingston gave as good as they got for much of the game and looked to be heading up to fifth themselves only to drop to eighth and remain winless in 20 away games in the top flight.

Dundee's Cameron Congreve, on loan from Swansea City, had already forced a save from Jerome Prior - and found the side netting - before setting up the opener.

Gathering a long cross ball on the touchline two minutes before the break, he then beat his marker before delivering a low curling cross into the path of Simon Murray for the captain to slot his third goal of the season from four yards out.

That breathed extra confidence into the hosts and Finlay Robertson had forced Prior into a save before threading the ball through for fellow midfielder Congreve to set up the second after 66 minutes.

In a carbon copy of the opener, the Wales Under-21 international's low cross was swept home by striker Westley.

Livingston were back in the game with 15 minutes remaining when Robertson deflected a low cross into the six-yard box and were level when referee Ross Hardie pointed to the penalty spot as Robertson clattered into Lewis Smith.

Substitute striker Bokila looked to have secured a draw and Smith was denied a late winner by goalkeeper Jon McCracken on the goalline before Dundee swept up the other end to win the game after a video assistant referee (VAR) check confirmed their spot-kick.

Analysis: Positives for both sides in thriller

This was a game that could have gone either way and was perhaps totally unexpected considering both sides had only scored once in their latest four outings.

Pressure would have mounted further on Pressley had they been left still searching for their first league win - and even a draw would have kept them second bottom.

However, Congreve was the catalyst for Dundee establishing a lead, proving to be a worthy replacement for Yan Dhanda after setting up both goals.

And they showed great character to bounce back from losing the lead to secure victory in the dying seconds.

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Livingston manager David Martindale looked gutted and understandably frustrated at the final whistle.

His side showed character of their own to recover from two goals down and very nearly won it in the end themselves.

Martindale will, though, be able to take some positives from the performance despite going five games without an away win and five without a victory overall.

What they said

Dundee manager Steven Pressley told Sportsound: "I thought for 70 minutes we performed reasonably well.

"I thought we were far more creative than we have been in recent weeks.

"I thought we showed courage as I wanted us to be more courageous in possession and I thought we did that. But also courage to go and win the game.

"And having been 2-0 up, with Livingston them showing a great reaction, we could have gone under. But no, Jon McCracken makes an incredible save, we go up the other end and get the penalty.

"I had more than my heart in my mouth [at penalty review].

"I was very hopeful. But when it's made and he's asked to review it you always have that concern. But thankfully it was given."

Livingston manager David Martindale: "The contact's initiated by the Dundee player. At the time, in real time, I thought it looked like a pen, but I watched it back and I go, 'there's no chance that's a pen'.

"The VAR officials then send a referee to the monitor, which tells me there's two people looking at footage with different camera angles, saying, 'you might have made a mistake here, I think you'd better go and look at the monitor'.

"He looks at the monitor and then says, no, it's a pen. I said to the referee after the game, 'you'd better hope you've got that right'.

"This can't keep happening. It can't. It's me that's affected this week, it'll be somebody else next week. Rangers, Kilmarnock, Celtic benefit, Hearts benefit, it can't keep happening.

"We're paying millions of pounds for people to make decisions using footage. They seem to still be getting it wrong.

What's next for these sides?

Dundee visit St Mirren on Saturday, 27 September while Livingston host Rangers the following day (both 15:00 BST).

Saturday's Scottish Gossip

Rangers, Hearts, Celtic & Hibs VAR decisions wrong

Motherwell stun blunt Aberdeen in cup

St Mirren beat Kilmarnock on penalties to reach semis

Player of the match

C. Congreve
9.31
20 C. Congreve
9.31
1 J. McCracken
8.00
19 J. Westley
7.80
15 S. Murray
7.73
18 C. Reilly
7.53
28 C. Jones
7.07
7 D. Wright
7.00
48 E. Hamilton
6.94
22 L. Graham
6.93
4 R. Astley
6.47
17 T. Yogane
6.47
10 F. Robertson
6.47
3 C. Robertson
6.13
9 E. Acquah
5.92
11 A. Hay
5.92
12 I. Samuels
5.62
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