Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Six games to save top-six slot for Dee
WITH six games left before the split, every point is crucial for Dundee boss Paul Hartley.
The Dens gaffer admitted his side weren’t at the level they’d shown in the victories over Rangers and Motherwell in the past 10 days as they fell to a 1-0 home loss to Partick Thistle.
The only goal in a poor game in terms of quality came on the half-hour mark as Julen Etxabeguren diverted Kris Doolan’s low cross into his own net.
The Dark Blues pushed for an equaliser to keep their unbeaten league run at Dens Park going into an eighth game but, despite a few half-chances, were largely kept at arm’s length by visiting Thistle.
Hartley said: “I didn’t think it was a great game, there wasn’t a lot of quality on show.
“We didn’t pass the ball as well as we could have or as well as we have in the last two games.
“Second half, I thought we were better but there wasn’t a lot between the teams.”
The defeat sees Partick overtake Dundee in the race Premiership top six.
And with six games remaining before the split, there’s plenty of work to be done.
Paul added: “We have to dust ourselves down, we’ve got a little break now and we need to make sure we are ready for the St Johnstone game.
“We’ve got six fixtures left before the split so every point is going to be so crucial.”
On top of the poor performance and defeat, there was bad news for Etxabeguren after the defender was stretchered off in the second half.
“He’s got a bad Achilles,” said Paul. “It’s not good news for him.”
Asked whether it was ruptured, for the Hartley said: “It could be. That’s what the physio said last night, so we had to get him to the hospital straight away and assess it.
“We’re disappointed for him because he’s been doing well of late, so it’s a real blow for him and us.”
Jags boss Alan Archibald was pleased to see his side make it four wins and four clean sheets in a row for the Maryhill club.
He said: “It was the perfect away performance really, so I’m delighted.
“Dundee put us under pressure in the last 15 minutes but we handled it well.
“That’s a few clean sheets in a row now, which is very pleasing, and the three centre-backs have been outstanding.”