Dundee fought back from two goals down to stun Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership and exact revenge with a complete reversal of their 3-2 defeat by the same opponent a month ago.

Kilmarnock scored three times in the final 10 minutes to break Dundee's hearts at Dens Park at the start of October, and on the same ground the two sides produced another frantic contest, but this time it was Tony Docherty's side who came up with the stoppage-time winner.

Ziyad Larkeche steered the ball into the bottom corner after a brilliant surging run from Josh Mulligan to spark wild scenes among the home fans.

Kilmarnock, meanwhile, were left shattered after hauling themselves into a two-goal lead only to cede the initiative.

The opener came on 24 minutes thanks to a mistake from Dundee goalkeeper Jon McCracken, who dropped the ball at the feet of Bruce Anderson, who punished him from five yards.

Matty Kennedy headed the visitors into a 2-0 lead after an excellent cross from Danny Armstrong, but Dundee hit back just a minute later.

Oluwaseun Adewumi chipped a cross over Joe Wright at the near post and Seb Palmer-Houlden stooped to head into the bottom corner.

It proved a crucial moment before the break which laid the platform for Dundee's comeback.

Jordan McGhee ensured his introduction at half-time was the right call from Docherty, as he nodded into the top corner after another Adewumi cross deflected into his path.

Both sides threw caution to the wind in a frenetic end to the match but it was another of Docherty's half-time changes, Mulligan, who came up with a huge moment.

The midfielder burst into the box and laid on the winning moment for Larkeche, which puts Dundee into the top six and above Kilmarnock on goal difference.

After a top-six finish on their Premiership return last term, Dundee have found life tough this season with the departure of captain Luke McCowan to Celtic and another young group assembled to go again.

Docherty has made it clear that means there will be bumps in the road, but the marker for him is whether his team is learning, particularly when it comes to defending and not throwing games away.

However, this was evidence the group is learning after their collapse against Kilmarnock a month ago.

This time they were the side 2-0 down and dug deep to get themselves out of a tough spot, particularly as their form of one win in their last eight league games does not suggest a team full of confidence.

Docherty himself deserves immense credit for bringing on McGhee and Mulligan at half-time to capitalise on the momentum they built at the end of the first half.

That will satisfy the Dundee boss, as will his first win as a manager against Derek McInnes, the man he assisted for over a decade.

It was all the more impressive from Dundee's players given their team-mate Julien Vetro fainted in the dressing room before the match, delaying kick-off by 15 minutes.

However, the Frenchman went to hospital for checks and returned to Dens Park in time to celebrate an epic win with his team-mates.

This is only Kilmarnock's second defeat in their last eight league games, but it will sting badly.

Their big error was Wright misjudging Adewumi's cross just a minute after Kennedy put them 2-0 in front which immediately gave Dundee hope before the break.

Wright had replaced Stuart Findlay, who was taken off on a stretcher after landing awkwardly, at centre-back on 33 minutes with the game at 1-0.

Despite winning at Tynecastle without Findlay on Wednesday, it was clear the enforced change disrupted Kilmarnock.

They will have to get used to life without him as McInnes confirmed his injury "not looking good at all".

The withdrawal of Danny Armstrong seven minutes into the second half with muscle tightness also meant they did not have his quality in attack when the game opened up late on.

However, McInnes would still expect better of his team in defence regardless of the personnel on the pitch.

Having had the joy of a comeback win to ignite their season a month ago, they must now recover from the disappointment of throwing a game away which they had in their grasp.

Dundee manager Tony Docherty: "I want the players to get full credit for their performance and their resilience for not lying down. If you look at Ziyad Larkeche's run to get that goal from the halfway line that is just desire to win the match with 20 seconds left to go.

"For the team to go 2-0 down at home and with the run we've been on, to show that character and mentality, I'm delighted. They deserve everything they get."

Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes: "We end up coming away with nothing because we don't sniff it at the end there. There's 30 seconds to go we should show inside when the ball is played forward and we don't match Mulligan's run.

"Credit Dundee they get bodies in the box at the death and Larkeche's desire to get on the end of it and score was more than our desire to stop it."