Winger Declan McDaid says home comforts have helped Dundee this season – today the Dark Blues are determined to make Dunfermline’s visit to Dens Park as uncomfortable as possible.
The Pars flew out of the traps in the Championship title race this term, romping to the top of the table with nine wins from their opening 10 matches of the season.
That included a home victory over big league favourites Hearts.
However, the form of Stevie Crawford’s side has dipped in recent weeks and they head to Dundee with no wins in their last three outings.
A draw at Raith Rovers, surprise home defeat to Morton and the midweek disappointment of being knocked out of the Betfred Cup on penalties by Premiership St Johnstone.
The form of their hosts on the other hand hasn’t lived up to expectations with just two victories from their opening seven league matches.
Both of those have come at home to add to a Betfred Cup win over Cove Rangers on their own patch.
And McDaid says the Dark Blues aim to make their home record four wins and one draw out of five by getting the better of Dunfermline today.
He said: “Today is a big game, we have been doing well and are looking forward to it.
“Hopefully, we can get the three points to add to the Arbroath win and we were unlucky last weekend against Inverness. We are playing well and we know it but we need the wins now.
“We need to be winning our home games, we know that, so hopefully we can get the three points.
“It’s still weird without fans at Dens Park but we still feel we have an advantage here.
“We’ve been strong at home, won our last two and, hopefully, today we can get another win and keep the wins coming.
“It’s familiar here at Dens, you are in the same dressing-room whereas at the moment you go to places and you’re changing in different wee rooms so it’s not what you’re used to.
“We still prepare properly but maybe it is a factor in games for teams this season.
“We have been solid at home and hopefully we can keep the momentum going.”
Extra-time for Pars
Though they would have preferred to be in League Cup quarter-final action this week after being knocked out by Hibs in the last-16, Dundee head into today’s big Championship clash with a full week’s preparation behind them.
Dunfermline, meanwhile, played 120 minutes against top-flight opposition before being beaten on spot-kicks by St Johnstone.
And McDaid is hoping the Dark Blues can take advantage of an heavy legs in the Pars line-up this afternoon while also gaining three points on leaders Hearts with the Jambos in Scottish Cup Final action tomorrow.
“It might be a good thing for us they went to extra time because it’s more minutes in their legs before they come here,” He added.
“Maybe there will be a bit more tiredness in the legs for them than us.
“We are feeling good going into it so, hopefully, we can get the result we want.
“With Hearts not playing this weekend it’s a chance to get closer to them and put some pressure on.
“A win here takes us closer and you never know what happens with games in hand.”
On the bench
McDaid, meanwhile, has had to be content with trying to make an impact from the bench in recent weeks.
Dundee’s last four matches has seen the former Partick and Ayr man come on as a second-half subsititute.
At Inverness he played his part in the late equaliser from Jordan McGhee and is hoping to have done enough to earn a return to the starting XI.
For the most recent three he’s been joined by housemate Cammy Kerr and says it’s been a hot topic of conversation at the dinner table of late.
McDaid said: “Obviously everyone wants to be playing but the team has been doing well lately.
“I am a team player so I am happy we are doing well but you want to play from the start.
“It’s good to come on and make an impact but you want to be involved more.
But the team are doing well so I can’t complain too much about it – all you can do is try to take the chance when it comes along.
“I share a flat with Cammy Kerr and we are both in the same position, so we have talked about it.
“We are both the same, we’re supporting the other lads but desperate to get back in.
“You can’t grumble about it, all you can do is work harder and hope to get back in, keep trying to impress to get back in the starting XI.
“We are coming into a busy time so the chance to play might come along.
“You just have to be ready for when that time does come. We will get a chance again but we need to work hard for it.”
On the home situation, McDaid jokingly revealed what it’s like to live with a Dundee superfan: “Cammy is an OK flatmate, he loves football, loves Dundee and it hurts him when he’s not playing he’s such a massive Dundee fan.
“I’ve never met anybody who loves football that much!
“He does the cooking, I’m hopeless at it – I’ll burn the kitchen down. He makes a decent pasta and chicken – that’s about all footballers eat – so he looks after me with that.”