I CAN SEE A RETURN TO FORM

Hemmings will hit goal trail to fire Dee title bid

KANE HEMMINGS admits he’s yet to light up the Championship – but has vowed to hit the heights for Dundee again.

The 27-year-old striker has netted just once this season – in the 6-2 derby thrashing from rivals Dundee United in August.

It’s a far cry from Hemmings’ first stint at Dens Park when his prolific form helped him win a big-money move to Oxford in 2016.

Dark Blues boss James McPake swooped to snap him up from Notts County recently in their quest to add the firepower that will seal a quickfire return to the Premiership.

Hemmings is refusing to hide from the fact he’s still to hit his peak but insists he’ll regain his hero status ahead of tonight’s televised trip to Queen of the South.

He said: “I haven’t performed as well as I can. I am not afraid of saying that. In my first spell here I was in and out of the team at first, you need to bide your time.

“If given the chance in this game, I have felt good in training and I’m ready to play.

“Teams have come down from the Premiership and floated about in the Championship for a while. You need it to click for you and you will get it right. We want to be up there challenging this year and hopefully get promoted. That takes time and patience.”

Former Rangers kid Hemmings has no doubts McPake’s promotion hopefuls will mount a genuine challenge, despite currently sitting sixth.

And he’s confident that can start by bouncing back from their Morton defeat last weekend. He said: “We just need to be a bit more clinical and get the ball forward faster.

“We need to up the tempo at times and start to put together a run of performances that sees us win games.”

Queens boss Allan Johnston believes Dundee will show their title credentials – but only after they face his men.

He said: “Once Dundee hit their stride they will challenge for the title with United. We have to keep them waiting a bit longer to get up to full speed.”