Hibernian boss Nick Montgomery expressed his pride in his players after they held on to secure all three points against Dundee despite going down to 10 men.
The visitors had established what looked to be a commanding 2-0 lead in the cinch Premiership clash thanks to goals by Jair Tavares and Lewis Miller.
However, the latter was sent off in the 63rd minute, with Dundee pulling one back through Owen Beck late on.
Hibs, who have thrown away two-goal leads already this season, withstood a late onslaught to emerge victorious to the delight of their manager.
Montgomery said: “We’ve been 2-0 up in a few games and conceded late and dropped points but we deserved more in some of those games. You don’t always get what you deserve.
“I was really proud of the boys. They work really hard and internally we had to fix it. Whether it was a mental thing or us not playing our football and heads dropping, but we’ve addressed it and it’s great to see us putting bodies on the line.”
Montgomery also admitted he would go easy on Miller, who was sent off for bookings in each half for fouls on Beck.
The manager added: “You pick up a silly booking and you’re walking a tightrope. His second was maybe harsh but I’ve not seen it.
“In that moment you regret the first one because it affects you and the team but he scored a winning goal with the header so I’ll let him off.”
Dundee boss Tony Docherty believed Hibs should have been reduced to 10 men earlier when Rocky Bushiri chopped down Beck in full flight.
Referee Don Robertson flashed a yellow with the VAR not intervening.
That irked Docherty, especially as earlier this week the VAR Independent Review Panel had ruled that the Dark Blues had already been on the wrong end of calls this season that resulted in a Josh Mulligan red card against Kilmarnock and an Amadou Bakayoko goal at Livingston being chalked off.
When asked if Bushiri should have been dismissed, Docherty replied: “I thought so. I thought it was reckless, high and at the speed Beck was going through I was worried for him.
“I thought it might be a possible bad injury. VAR must have looked at it and thought it wasn’t.
“I’m disappointed. They got three wrong and two affected us. It’s how it impacts your season. In the Kilmarnock game we’re 1-0 up and lose him (Mulligan) and then lose him for two games.
“There was also a perfectly good goal chopped off. I’m disappointed but we move on.”
