Canadian stakes claim for place with Perth goal

However, picking up the three points to send themselves into the break on a high is the perfect finish to what has been a difficult year for the Dark Blues.

Haber is off to his homeland to visit friends and family as the entire squad take a breather from first-team duties.

When he returns, though, he expects Dundee to start moving up the table once play gets back under way at the end of the month.

He added: “The gaffer emphasised that with some time off now it makes it all the more sweeter to come through with a victory and get a little space between ourselves and the bottom of the table.

“We feel we have improved a lot over the last couple of months with the way we are playing. At the beginning of the season, I don’t think our results reflected the way we were playing.

“Now, though, we’re combining that with getting points and we’re looking to improve every week.”

With the way Dundee finished the year — picking up seven points from the last 12 — some might not have wanted anything to interrupt the good thing they’ve got going.

“You can always look that way but all the players now have the chance to recharge the batteries and ease some of the niggles and aches with a few extra days to rest and recover,” Haber said.

“You can look at it as a positive and we can all come back rested and ready to continue.”

Marcus Haber (second left) celebrates his goal against St Johnstone.