St Johnstone 0 Dundee 1: Hartley's heroes in high spirits

Much like Scotland's high streets yesterday, McDiarmid Park was a stadium passionately divided, nearly full to capacity with duelling chants echoing across the Perth air. This is St Johnstone's derby, and it brought a crowd. Dundee might be blessed - or perhaps cursed - with closer rivals, but their travelling support of around 2500 were in full voice as their side produced a composed, professional performance away from home. United await next week.

The winner came from a corner, swung in from the left which St Johnstone scrambled to clear, but it was headed back into the box by Jim McAlister. At first, it appeared as though Gary Harkins had scored - he certainly swung a high, left boot at it - but it was defender Thomas Konrad who wheeled away celebrating and lapping up the plaudits, his head having taken the ball off the toes of his team-mate.

"Cracking game, great atmosphere," said Hartley. "But you see in football how things can change so quickly. We've got to enjoy this just now, enjoy the moment and it's great being unbeaten. We've got great spirit, and we've come a long way in a short space of time."

Dundee couldn't get the second goal to clinch it, though not for the lack of trying in the second half. Harkins fired a free kick low from outside the box towards the bottom-left corner and Alan Mannus did well to get down to it. Paul McGowan struck a powerful shot from a very tight angle, but Mannus again palmed it away, while substitute Luka Tankulic glanced a header over.

Dundee were on top for most of the game, while St Johnstone, missing the injured Steven McLean up front, struggled to string passes together in forward positions. Brian Graham did his best, but was too often isolated, with nobody between the lines linking midfield and attack. In contrast, Harkins filled that role expertly for Dundee, controlling the ball and allowing other midfielders to join in, with the skill and speed of Philip Roberts on his right flank particularly useful. Roberts was next to have a go, but speared a long-range effort well wide.

St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright tried to change things, bringing on Simon Lappin, Adam Morgan and then Lee Croft, but they failed to significantly turn the dark blue tide, and Dundee looked dangerous on the break. In fact, Croft's only real contribution was a shot on the volley that went out for a throw-in. It was that kind of day.

"I'm disappointed in the manner we lost the goal, from a set-play," said Wright, who said he would like to bring in a striker if it transpires McLean will be out for an extended period.

"We had good opportunities, but we never really gave Brian any good supply. We tried everything, moved to 4-4-2, but just didn't have the quality."

The opening exchanges had been cagey, as both sides struggled to settle. Graham had an early near-post header that he pushed wide, while James McPake for Dundee smacked a long-range effort over. A miscued Frazer Wright clearance led to a bit of a scramble, following a great piece of skill by Roberts to backheel volley the ball down the right flank.

St Johnstone responded brightly, if briefly, to going behind. Gary McDonald just failed to get on the end of a low driven cross from the right which was nervily saved by Kyle Letheren. McDonald again found a yard of space in the box and glanced a header wide. The crosses from the home side, though, were more hopeful than pinpoint. Graham then did brilliantly to find a pocket of space just outside the box. He let fly, but McPake dashed out and took the shot flush in the face to clear. For Dundee, McAlister took a snapshot on the turn, just wide, after Roberts had picked him out from the right. The visitors finished the first half the stronger, with a couple of corners, but could not double their lead. In the end, one was enough.