Partick Thistle have been a big problem for Dundee this season.
The Jags have taken six points from the three games so far, scoring eight goals in the process.
Brian Graham, too, has been a thorn in the side of the Dark Blues.
He didn’t play the last time the two teams met at Firhill and Dundee came away with the points.
That, though, came after the Maryhill side had run into a 2-0 lead at half-time.
The comeback that day was a memorable one and sparked the Dark Blues into their best run of the campaign.
How a repeat of that would be perfectly timed.
Test of character
Because there is little room for error.
Five points separate Dundee from leaders Queen’s Park.
Yes, they have a game in hand but I know I would much rather have points on the board than games to play at this stage of the season.
That will be a big test of character for the Dark Blues over the next few weeks.
They will be consistently playing catch-up over the next month.
And that’s not an easy task.
Especially if Queen’s Park maintain the gap at the top.
After you…
Right now they have a five-point lead before both sides play on Saturday at 3pm.
Then the Dee have their game in hand on Tuesday at home to Ayr before yet another break in the Dundee fixture list.
While the Dark Blues have a weekend off, Owen Coyle’s side can open up a lead again on the chasing pack when they face struggling Arbroath.
And again, on April 7, Queen’s Park play a Friday night TV game against Partick before Dundee face Arbroath the following day.
Once more, Dundee will be playing catch-up.
That’s dependant on how many points both sides rack up between now and then, of course. If the Spiders start to struggle, the Dark Blues could even be out in front by then.
Or well behind…
But, I think it’s safe to say, Queen’s Park have an advantage when it comes to the timing of games over the next wee while.
All Bowyer and his team can do is win the games in front of them.
Big two games for Dundee in title race…
And they don’t come much bigger than the two coming up.
Away to Thistle and home to Ayr.
Two wins and the Dark Blues open up a gap on the two sides immediately behind them.
Lose both and they can pretty much wave goodbye to winning the title, they would have a huge amount of work to do to rescue things from there.
Something in between would be just normal Championship fare.
Dundee want to be in a position where they are in control of the title race.
Right now, Queen’s Park have that control and only their own slip-ups will change that.
All the Dark Blues can do is put wins on the board and as much pressure as possible to force those slips.
Win the game in front of you and go from there.
But, as we’ve seen against Partick Thistle this term, that will not be easy.
A pivotal week in the season for Dundee.
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