Dundee manager Jim McIntyre is delighted to be off the bottom of the Premiership but has warned his players that it is not job done.
The Dark Blues travel to Rugby Park to face Kilmarnock tomorrow for what is anticipated to be an extremely difficult match against Steve Clarke’s men.
They do so, however, on the back of a four-game unbeaten run after their 10 men secured a wonderful 1-1 draw against Rangers last Sunday.
That precious point moved them above St Mirren on goal difference and everyone at Dens has been boosted by not being at the foot of the table.
Nevertheless, McIntyre has told his team that nothing has been achieved yet and they have to keep progressing step-by-step.
>>24 Days of Christmas – Click here for special festive deals from some of our favourite local businesses
“A lot has been said about us being off the bottom of the table but we could quite easily be back there on Saturday,” said McIntyre.
“Nobody thinks that is us on a roll and that it is going to keep happening.
“We have to make it happen.
“We have to burst our backsides to deny good players time and to keep working hard and to do what is expected of you.
“There is no easy way out of this other than being together and everybody grafting for each other.
“We have to keep it going.
“We know we are facing a side who were top of the league last week.
“What a job Stevie Clarke has done down there with predominantly the same group of players!
“They are a team who know how they are and how they play.
“Their home record is very strong but we want to try and build on the last three or four performances we have had and go a stage further than last week and to take all three points.
“Our next five games are against teams in the top six apart from Livingston who have just fallen out of it.
“All the games are really tough but we will take it one at a time and the focus is all on Kilmarnock.”
The only negative on an otherwise positive day for the Dens men against Steven Gerrard’s side was the red card for left-back Nathan Ralph.
The club appealed the decision but were unsuccessful.
That has left McIntyre having to rejig his backline for the Killie clash.
The Dundee boss added: “Nathan is suspended having lost the appeal. It was disappointing because if he had said it was a red card for reckless and dangerous play we wouldn’t have appealed it.
“It was a badly mistimed challenge. We know that and Nathan knows that.
“That is not the reason he was sent off, though, so that’s the frustrating thing about it.
“We appealed and we didn’t get it so we move on.
“It’s a chance for somebody else to come in.
“We have Calvin who can go in there and he has played there before.
“There are a couple of options.
“I think our bench is looking a wee bit stronger because we have Adil Nabi, Roarie Deacon and Benji Kallman back.
“So it’s a bit healthier but losing Nathan is a bit of a blow because he has been playing well.”
There was better news on the selection front regarding central defender Darren O’Dea.
McIntyre said: “Darren has done a bit of light training so we will see how he reacts to that.”
There was also good news concerning another defender.
“Josh Meekings has had his operation and it went very well,” said McIntyre.
