Dundee back-up keeper David Mitchell realises the scale of the task in front of him if he is to get an extended run in the Dark Blues’ team.
Because the 26-year-old views his Dens Park rival Scott Bain as the best in Scotland.
But the challenge of keeping him out of Paul Hartley’s starting line-up is one that he’s up for.
The former Stranraer man played in the penalty shoot-out defeat to East Fife at the weekend and, after getting on the pitch for all of two hours of top team football last season, he knows he has to grasp every opportunity he gets.
“This is my chance,” he said. “I have to try to take it. That’s all I can do.
“It was good to get out there. It wasn’t great not playing much last season. I have to admit that.
“I basically got one-and-a-half games.
“I enjoyed those matches but I hope to build on that this season.”
Mitchell added: “When you have a keeper like Bainy in front of you, it’s never going to be easy to play games.
“For the last two years he has been the best keeper in Scotland. It’s a tough task but I am up for the fight.”
Losing a shoot-out was a personal frustration to Mitchell.
He explained: “I used to have a good record with penalties, so I fancied myself.
“I have to say I was disappointed not to save more. But, at the end of the day, that’s just the way things go sometimes.
“I was also a little disappointed with the goal (in normal time). When you get your hand to something you feel you can keep it out.
“It was a good strike but from my point of view I was angry not to keep it out.”
