O’Hara: We owe fans derby delight after big letdown
MARK O’HARA insists Dundee must win back their fans’ faith today after stinking the place out against Partick to lose their unbeaten home record.
The Dark Blues are still reeling from the 1-0 reverse to Thistle last time out – their first loss at Dens in the league since October.
It also saw them blow the chance to rack up three wins on the bounce for the first time this term and O’Hara is determined to deliver payback to the punters in the Tayside derby trip to St Johnstone. The midfield ace said: “We let ourselves and the fans down with that performance against Patrick.
“Most of the boys just didn’t click. We talked about that before this season. We haven’t won three games in a row yet.
“That was a big opportunity to do so and we didn’t.
“In the form we were in we need to be winning games like that and that’s what was so very disappointing. We’ve had some difficult times in the season but we’re a better team now.
“We’ve kicked on, made some good signings and hopefully that defeat was just a blip.
“It was disappointing more than anything having come off the high of the two previous games.”
Dundee hope last week’s free weekend will see them return refreshed for their meeting with Tommy Wright’s men.
O’Hara added: “A few of the boys were tired. We’d been working hard over a couple of weeks and a wee recharge of the batteries was needed.
“There were a few niggles after three games in 10 days.
“That’s a tough ask and the break was well needed.
“Hopefully that means we’re fresh going into the St Johnstone game. They’re always tough.”
Dundee’s defeat to Patrick dumped them out the top six but O’Hara is adamant it’s no cause for panic.
He said: “The aim was to get six points from our last three games. Going into the matches, you would have taken that.
“We are gutted after the Partick game but we need to take the positives out of the last few matches and the game at St Johnstone is now even bigger.”
Former Kilmarnock ace O’Hara, 21, has been pleased with his own form – with the exception of the Thistle setback.
He said: “The games before Partick I was at my best. I hope to get back to that this weekend.”