Depleted Dundee claim point at Motherwell

Mark McGhee guided Covid-hit Dundee to a 1-1 draw against former club Motherwell.

McGhee was without 10 players, but the cinch Premiership’s bottom side were well worth their point at Fir Park.

Paul McMullan gave the visitors a sixth-minute lead following Stephen O’Donnell’s mistake before Joe Efford netted his first goal for Motherwell 12 minutes later.

The equaliser failed to kick-start the home team’s performance and they remain without a league win in 2022.

Dundee were already missing attackers Zak Rudden and Luke McCowan through Covid-related absences and a further positive case on Friday saw them without six players in total to isolation.

Experienced pair Charlie Adam and Niall McGinn also dropped out through injury to join goalkeeper Adam Legzdins and long-term absentee Cillian Sheridan on the sidelines.

McGhee, whose final game in charge of Motherwell five years ago was a 5-1 defeat by Dundee, was forced into five changes following the midweek draw with Hibernian.

Midfielder Declan McDaid was handed a lone striker role for his first game since playing for Falkirk four months ago on loan and 20-year-old goalkeeper Harry Sharp made his first start in professional football.

Dundee needed all the help they could get and O’Donnell handed them a gift. The right-back got a deep cross under control but then decided to try and take on McMullan inside his box and lost the ball. The winger curled a shot into the top corner.

Max Anderson soon came close, but the hosts got level when Kevin van Veen did well to cut the ball back under pressure to Efford on the six-yard line. The American’s first effort was blocked and his second proved too powerful for Sharp to keep out.

Efford flashed a shot over from 20 yards after better