Dundee boss John Brown is still waiting for summer signing Steven Doris to “jump off the page” at him.
The former Arbroath and St Johnstone front man has struggled to establish himself at Dens since signing in July after impressing as a trialist.
There is fierce competition for striking slots at the club with Carlo Monti, Craig Wighton, Martin Boyle and Leighton McIntosh all desperate to dislodge first-choice experienced pairing Peter MacDonald and Craig Beattie.
The manager decided the best option was for Doris to get game time and he rejoined the Red Lichties on loan last week, making an instant impact by scoring against Stranraer on Saturday.
The Dens boss is hoping the player will continue to build his fitness and confidence before coming back to Dundee and really fighting for a place in the starting line-up.
Brown said: “Stevie needs to get matches under his belt. He has been on the bench but hasn’t played. He has not really featured so we have asked him to go and get a few games.
“He got a goal at the weekend, which will help his confidence. Stevie has been a bit unlucky but you make your own luck.
“It is what you do in training and I am still waiting for him to jump off the page at me.
“He has to score goals at Arbroath and catch the eye as this is a great opportunity for him being back full-time.
“He might have taken a wee bit longer to adjust to that but he is a good lad and he will still train with us during the week and then with Arbroath at night.
“He is a full-time pro so it is about him coming back and putting pressure on the likes of Peter MacDonald and Craig Beattie.”
Two other players, James Thomson and Jamie Reid, also went out on loan last week to East Fife and Montrose respectively and Brown is hoping that sampling first-team action will help their development.
He said: “James Thomson is a defender who has not had an opportunity. So hopefully going to East Fife will give him game experience, which should be of benefit when he comes back to us.
“Jamie Reid has been out with an ankle injury but he came back in for a reserve game last week and he has now gone to Montrose.
“The loans are only until January, then we will assess things and see whether they are coming back.
“We want to get them game time and I think we only have one more reserve match before a break until after January.
“I want also James and Jamie to get experience of playing in front of decent crowds, which they don’t have turning out for the under-20s.”