Respect for says Gowser

And he knows getting the points to do that won’t be easy, not just tomorrow but during a run of fixtures between now and the April split.

Including Saints, that period sees the Dark Blues face every member of the top five except Rangers.

Add a testing away trip north to Ross County, plus what could be a crunch home clash with Hamilton Accies, and McGowan concedes points will be hard-earned.

He is, though, viewing the next month or so as a challenge.

“It is a tough run we’ve got but, if we play the way we know we can play, we’re confident we’ll get to where we feel we should be.

“But it is a difficult run. We have Celtic and Aberdeen at home and then away to Ross County, so they are tricky games. We have to apply ourselves and make sure we keep playing the way we have.

“Losing to Partick last week was a disappointment but I felt there was nothing in that game.

“We lost to an own goal and in the second half we were the dominant team.

“We were disappointed because we could have stretched further away from them, now we’re trying to catch them.

“Like I say, it was disappointing but I don’t think it was a game the alarm bells should be ringing about.

“We’ve been playing well and, if we continue that, we’ll pick up points.”

3-0 win at Dens on Hogmanay. The Dee midfielder rated this game as their best so far this season.