Dundee stole maximum points when Spaniard Javier Artero drove home a late winner to sink St Johnstone 3-2 in the Tayside derby at McDiarmid Park.

Saints defender Gary Bollan gave the home side the lead after just 13 minutes with a superb opener but then turned sinner as he was dismissed in the final moments.

Gavin Rae and Juan Sara gave the visitors a 2-1 second half lead but Paul Kane appeared to have salvaged a point 12 minutes from time with his penalty strike before Artero snatched the points.

However, it was a sad ending for Saints where defensive blunders by both Bollan and Jim Weir proved costly for the Perth outfit.

Saints got themselves off to the best start after 12 minutes when John Paul McBride and Kane elected to leave a long range free-kick to Bollan.

The full-back subsequently drilled an accurate left-foot strike which whistled into the net passed Marco Roccati.

Dundee did hit back but Rae was denied by a marvellous reflex save by Alan Main after a neat assist by Claudio Caniggia.

St Johnstone passed up a golden chance in the 26th minute when midfielder Michael O'Neill failed to connect with a low cross from Keigan Parker from six yards.

Saints keeper Main had to be alert to save from a clever Georgi Nemsadze free-kick before his opposite number Roccati saved well from Parker's shot just prior to the break.

Dundee ignited the second half with a spectacular equaliser from midfielder Rae.

The St Johnstone defence stood off, practically inviting Rae to try his luck from 22 yards, and his left-foot shot whizzed into the top corner.

The second half proved to be a tempestuous affair with a smattering of cautions as Saints struggled to cope with the direct play of the visitors.

But the real punishment came in the 69th minute when Dundee went in front. Weir was the guilty party, slicing Artero's right-wing cross into the path of Sara, and the Argentinian instantly swivelled to half-volley home from 12 yards out.

But Sandy Clark's side were handed a lifeline in the 78th minute when Marco de Marchi up-ended substituted Paul Hartley.

From the resulting spot-kick, Kane displayed the necessary composure to strike St Johnstone's first penalty success in four attempts.

As both teams searched for a late winner, Caniggia inexplicably shot weakly at Main, after he was left with a simple chance following a superb forward thrust by star man Nemsadze.

For the noisy Dundee fans it didn't matter. Artero managed to dispossess Bollan in the box, and the Spaniard had time to confidently drill home under the unfortunate Main to snatch the points.

Bollan's misfortune was crowned when he was dismissed for dissent as St Johnstone finally surrendered.