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Manager Paul Hartley described Dundee's 4-0 win over Kilmarnock as a "perfect performance".

The Taysiders opened their Scottish Premiership campaign with an emphatic win at Rugby Park, with Greg Stewart and Rory Loy each scoring twice.

"The team were terrific all over the pitch," said Hartley.

Meanwhile, Gary Locke bemoaned his Kilmarnock side's display, admitting: "It was a day that we want to forget. I can only apologise to our supporters."

Dundee dominated throughout and Stewart scored from distance before close-range finishes from Loy - one the boot and the other with the head - and another strike from Stewart rounded off the win late in the game.

"We created loads of chances," Hartley said. "The goals we scored were brilliant. Clean sheet. It's been a good start for us.

"I thought it was a perfect performance. We let the guys go and express themselves, but at the back, you've got to be solid also.

"We've got a lot of creativity in the team. They like having the ball, they like having loads of touches.

"But we've only got another 37 [games] to go, but if we keep working as hard as that, we've got the quality. Hopefully, we'll surprise a few teams."

When asked what had gone wrong for Killie, Locke replied: "Everything.

"Credit to Dundee, they played well, but we made things far too easy for them," he added. "We were second best everywhere. We didn't have enough movement, we didn't have enough people wanting the ball.

"We're not going to use any excuses, we just simply never played. We've had pre-season games, we've looked okay in them.

"I never saw that performance coming, so we'll have to get back in and make sure we work hard and make sure we respond in the right manner because we certainly never turned up today."