Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Dark Blues out to increase gap
PAUL Hartley looks set to go with the line-up that finished Friday’s dramatic win over Hearts when Dundee look to increase the gap to the bottom of the Premiership at Partick Thistle tonight.
Julen Etxabeguren replaced Kevin Gomis in a tactical switch at half-time in the Jambos game and Paul McGowan came on for the tiring Mark O’Hara early in the second half.
Both look likely to be in the starting XI at Firhill, when the manager will be looking to get out of the blocks quicker than l ast time out.
“The start we made wasn’t a great one, so it’s something we need to look at,” he said.
“Hearts were excellent but we were well off it in the first half and in terms of that we have to do better.”
If the Dark Blues don’t, Paul knows it will be a difficult 90 minutes against a team he rates.
“Thistle are a good team. I think that was their first win in seven against Ross County on Friday night.
“But I’ve watched them, they have some good players and play a fine brand of football.
“It’s always been good games between us and we’ve actually done OK. We’ve always done well at Firhill and I do think they are better than their l eague position.”
With Hamilton losing 2-1 at Aberdeen yesterday, Kilmarnock being thumped 4-0 by Hearts and Motherwell and I nverness facing up tonight, the Dundee boss sees this as a chance to open up more breathing space to the relegation zone, and the aim is to do that via three points.
“The way we are, we are not happy to settle for a point, you saw t hat on Friday. The players always go f or t he win,” added Paul.