Dundee 3-2 St Johnstone

Dundee got their season up and running after A-Jay Leitch-Smith's first two goals for the club earned a crucial 3-2 win over St Johnstone.Neil McCann's side had just one point going into the Tayside derby, but upset the odds by ending St Johnstone's unbeaten start to the season in a match which saw three penalties awarded in seven minutes.Leitch-Smith, on his first start for the club, netted twice before Liam Craig hit the first of two penalties, while Sofien Moussa also scored from the spot.Darren O'Dea was shown a straight red with eight minutes to go, giving Craig the chance to add his second as tensions mounted in the dugouts but McCann's side held on to claim a valuable win and move off bottom of the table.It was Leitch-Smith who put the hosts ahead after he was brought down softly on the edge of the area in the ninth minute.Glen Kamara swung in a cross which was nodded towards keeper Alan Mannus by Kevin Holt, but he fumbled a straightforward save for Leitch-Smith to prod home from two yards and give the hosts a welcome lead.However they were almost caught out four minutes later when Cameron Kerr made a rash challenge on Michael O'Halloran, who darted past the full-back and surged into the area before firing at Scott Bain when he could have squared it for a team-mate.Faissal El Bakhtaoui, Leitch-Smith and Randy Wolters all saw shots blocked before the visitors went up the other end and Steve MacLean headed straight at Bain.El Bakhtaoui hit a fine, dipping volley towards the far corner three minutes after the break but saw his effort beaten away by a diving Mannus, before wasting another chance when through after fine build-up with Kamara.Saints were unable to find any fluency or challenge the Bain goal in the second half, and they were 2-0 down after 65 minutes as Leitch-Smith added a second.The striker latched onto a knock down inside the area and smashed a fine volley into the roof of the net, leaving Mannus helpless and giving McCann's side breathing space.However the game burst into life late on, with Cummins felled by an onrushing Bain, giving Craig the chance to breath life back into the game.His goal was immediately cancelled out as Leitch-Smith was brought down, giving Moussa the chance to restore the two-goal lead.O'Dea was then shown red after hauling down Steven Anderson inside the area, and Craig again made no mistake from the spot in a chaotic finish.ends