Match ends, Dundee 2, Motherwell 2.
DundeeDundee2MotherwellMotherwell2
Kane Hemmings' late penalty pegged back Motherwell and salvaged a point for Dundee at Dens Park.
Chris Cadden finished Marvin Johnson's cross to hand Motherwell an early lead, but Paul McGowan's first goal of the season soon cancelled it out.
Stephen Pearson again nudged the visitors ahead with a brilliant solo effort before half-time.
But Hemmings' spot kick with less than five minutes of normal time remaining rescued Paul Hartley's side.
The result moves the hosts back above Inverness Caledonian Thistle into the Premiership's top six, while Motherwell slip to ninth.
The strengths and weaknesses of Dundee were neatly summed up in a the space of just a couple of minutes at the start of this game.
Cadden scored a terrific first-ever goal for Motherwell when the unmarked teenager controlled Johnson's cross on his chest before guiding the ball into the top corner of the net.
That makes it just one clean sheet in 18 games now for Hartley's team but they quickly reiterated how impressive they are going forward.
Great play by Greg Stewart released McGowan in the inside right channel and he controlled the pass before hooking the ball home.
Both strikes came in the first seven minutes and the only surprise was that it took until midway through the half for another to arrive in an open and entertaining match.
Keith Lasley forced Scott Bain into a fine save to keep out the Motherwell captain's 35-yard free kick while at the other end Stewart and Gary Harkins tormented the visitors defence.
It was Pearson who put the Steelmen back in front with another excellent goal in 23 minutes as the veteran midfielder burst through the Dundee defence before angling in his seventh goal of the campaign.
Both Conor Ripley and Bain continued to make crucial saves as the sides created plenty of chances despite the fierce wind and snow flurries that contributed to the pitch cutting up badly.
Dundee did dominate possession in the second half but Motherwell defended doggedly to limit their clear cut chances while trying to hit on the counterattack.
Harkins did go close to snatching an equaliser with a couple of typical flashes of skill, chipping over from right of the goal then volleying wide from the other side.
The visitors did have the ball in the net on a quick break out but Louis Moult drifted offside before netting Pearson's through ball.
But it was Cadden's challenge on Kevin Holt that led to Hemmings netting his 16th of the season from the spot - no more than Dundee deserved for their second-half supremacy - with substitute Arturo, the on-loan Spanish striker, almost snatching a winner.
Line-ups
Dundee
Formation 4-3-1-2
- 1Bain
- 19McGinn
- 21O'Dea
- 4Konrad
- 3Holt
- 17RossSubstituted forWightonat 80'minutes
- 18McGowan
- 29Harkins
- 7Stewart
- 9LoySubstituted forRodríguez Pérez Reverteat 70'minutes
- 15Hemmings
Substitutes
- 12Mitchell
- 16Etxabeguren
- 22Rodríguez Pérez Reverte
- 24Black
- 26Gadzhalov
- 30Kerr
- 33Wighton
Motherwell
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Ripley
- 18LawBooked at 78mins
- 32Hall
- 6McManus
- 3Hammell
- 26CaddenBooked at 87mins
- 14Lasley
- 8Pearson
- 11Johnson
- 20Moult
- 77McDonaldSubstituted forFletcherat 72'minutes
Substitutes
- 7Ainsworth
- 9Fletcher
- 13Samson
- 15Chalmers
- 16Kennedy
- 21Leitch
- 24McFadden
- Referee:
- John Beaton
- Attendance:
- 4,960
Match Stats
Home TeamDundeeAway TeamMotherwell
- Possession
- Home48%
- Away52%
- Shots
- Home16
- Away6
- Shots on Target
- Home7
- Away5
- Corners
- Home5
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home7
- Away14
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Dundee 2, Motherwell 2.
Post update
Darren O'Dea (Dundee) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Stephen Pearson (Motherwell).
Post update
Attempt saved. Kane Hemmings (Dundee) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Post update
Corner, Motherwell. Conceded by Darren O'Dea.
Post update
Foul by Paul McGowan (Dundee).
Post update
Stephen Pearson (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Goal!
Goal! Dundee 2, Motherwell 2. Kane Hemmings (Dundee) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.
Booking
Chris Cadden (Motherwell) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Penalty conceded by Chris Cadden (Motherwell) with a hand ball in the penalty area.
Post update
Corner, Dundee. Conceded by Josh Law.
Post update
Corner, Dundee. Conceded by Stephen McManus.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Gary Harkins (Dundee) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Post update
Foul by Greg Stewart (Dundee).
Post update
Keith Lasley (Motherwell) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Dundee. Craig Wighton replaces Nick Ross.
Post update
Paul McGinn (Dundee) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Marvin Johnson (Motherwell).
Booking
Josh Law (Motherwell) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
