Dundee boss Hartley delighted to head into 2017 on positive note

Dundee manager Paul Hartley praised his players for ending the year on a high as they swept aside St Johnstone at Dens Park.

First-half goals from Faissal El-Bakhtaoui and Kostadin Gadzhalov put the hosts in control, with Saints captain Steven Anderson's 57th-minute own goal sealing the victory.

Hartley, who saw his side climb to eighth with the win, said: "It's a nice way to finish off 2016.

"It's not been easy this season. We know that ourselves.

"But if we can manage performances like that we'll climb the table.

"It was important we got this victory and the manner of it was especially pleasing.

"In the second half we managed the game properly and kept a clean sheet against difficult opposition.

"There's not many teams who will beat St Johnstone 3-0.

"I thought we were excellent from our goalkeeper Scot Bain right through to Marcus Haber up front.

"I'm also really pleased for Faissal.

"There was expectation on him coming from Dunfermline where he scored so many goals.

"But we've worked with him knowing it would take him time."

St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright refused to be too hard on his players, who lost for the first time since November.

Wright said: "It's probably as well as we've played away from home with the ball this season.

"We created a lot of opportunities, but the final ball and decision-making let us down.

"The first goal is a counter-attack goal which we should deal with better and there was poor concentration at the second, while the third is a mistake where (Paul) Paton gets caught in possession.

"We find ourselves 3-0 down when we shouldn't be.

"They were clinical. We made mistakes and they punished us."