Manager James McPake is adamant Dundee will be a “different team” when they get their new signings bedded in and key players back to fitness.
The Dark Blues were shorn of a host of experienced defensive options for Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to Raith Rovers that ended a run of eight games without a loss.
With Jordon Forster and Jordan McGhee already missing, Liam Fontaine failed a late fitness test at Stark’s Park and Lee Ashcroft reported for duty hampered by an ear infection.
It meant baptisms of fire for fresh faces Malachi Fagan-Walcott and Sam Fisher at the heart of a makeshift rearguard, and McPake insists the teenage duo deserve credit for their performances.
But with new signings Paul McMullan and Jason Cummings also lacking time to get used to their new surroundings and teammates, McPake is expecting better from his side at home to Inverness Caley Thistle this weekend.
Worried
He said: “I was a wee bit worried about the Raith game, if I’m being honest.
“Jason had one day’s training, Mal had one day’s training, Paul McMullan had a couple of days’ training.
“Lee Ashcroft has a bit of an ear infection and, credit to the big man, was wanting to play.
“But he turned up for the game and he could hardly walk straight, never mind play.
“Liam Fontaine was ready to play and missed out – just – so we’ll have him back for next week and hopefully we’ll have Ashcroft back for next week,” he added.
“That would have made a difference and that’s not taking anything away from the young kids who played. It was great experience for them.
“But Jason getting some minutes was needed.
“Getting Paul a good hour was needed and I thought he looked really good. He looked sharp, he looked bright and that’s the Paul McMullan I want to see more of.
“So when we get those players firing we’ll be a different team.
“We tried to squeeze a lot into training on Friday, on the way we were going to play, and I think it looked a bit mixed up.
“But we certainly will be better when we get time to work with the players, on the training pitch, first and foremost.”
McMullan set up Osman Sow to volley in an early breakthrough for Dundee but former Dark Blues defender Kyle Benedictus grabbed an equaliser when McPake’s men switched off at a corner.
Stunning strikes from Reghan Tumilty and Kai Kennedy after the break sent Raith above both the Dens men and Dunfermline into second spot in the table.
‘Better team won’
McPake admitted: “I think the better team won the game.
“We knew it was always going to be tough.
“It was a frustrating couple of days for us, a frustrating morning actually, in terms of Lee Ashcroft and Liam Fontaine.
“Raith are a good team and they proved it at Tynecastle last week. The bugbear is we conceded from two setplays and we need to nail that down.
“To get ourselves in front and then concede after such a short period of time from a set-piece is disappointing.
“But, look, I can’t fault the effort, the workrate or anything that my players have given me, and they’re hurting because they’ve been on a run of eight games unbeaten and they wanted to keep that run going.
“We wanted to see how far we could go. It’s about how we pick it up now.
“We’ve got a big couple of weeks coming up and we need to react, and react in a positive manner.”