Motherwell boss Robbo: One chance, one goal for us at Dundee was just like what Killie did against us

The Steelmen had just one shot on target in the City of Discovery - Craig Tanner's winning goal - to get a result which emulated Kilmarnock's achievement in winning 1-0 against the Steelmen at Fir Park just seven days earlier.

And, in another example of repetition, it was Tanner's fourth goal in four games against Dundee this season.

Robinson said: "Killie had one shot on target last week and one goal.

"And nobody mentioned that. What I will mention is how much we defended, how strong we were, how aggressive we were.

"I say again, I think Dundee are a very good side, it's a tough, tough game here.

"The boy Deacon can win games for them, they're a real handful. At times we lacked composure on the ball when we could have actually killed the game.

"There is lots we can improve on but in terms of character and organisation I've got to give them top marks.

"If I was a fan going back down the road knowing that people are putting that badge on, throwing themselves to the ground, tackling, heading, putting their bodies on the line to win the match for Motherwell Football Club, I'd be very, very happy.

"We can play a lot better than that on the ball, but when you have games like that, you come to places like this, you have to show real resilience and that's what we did.

"I think Tanner can work harder but he's a very talented boy and if he can get his work-rate up he'll keep progressing, as will everybody else in the team as well.

"Our winning games is based on working hard and outworking people and that's the basics in football.

"If you do that, you've got half a chance in the game."

The Motherwell manager said he'd taken off Nadir Ciftci early in the second half at Dens Park in the wake of him getting a booking, over fears the Turk could be in line to get sent off.

"The fourth official said to me he (referee Alan Muir) is just about to book him or he's just about to get sent off and straight away he got a yellow card," Robinson added.

"And he did react. You can't do that in this day and age. That's the rules, so I don't think Alan's done anything wrong there.

"I'm not going to play at Dens Park with 10 men, so it's a decision I had to make.

"He (Ciftci) is one of our most talented boys, he can win games. It's a tough decision, but ultimately it proved to be the right one."

Robbo also said that he thought Dundee manager Neil McCann "is doing a good job", adding that he felt referee Muir was right not to give Dundee a last minute penalty for an alleged handball against Cedric Kipre from a Faissal El-Bakhtaoui effort.

"I'm a million miles away so I don't know how it's a big shout (for a penalty)," Robbo added.

"I'd have been aggrieved if it was given and I'm sure Dundee would have been aggrieved if it was given against them.

"I thought Kipre was excellent. He's a boy that's getting better and better with every game.

"There's a lot of people talking about him. So I think we'll do very well to keep hold of Cedric if he keeps going the way he's going."