Dens boss to ring changes for Alloa

DU N DE E boss Ja mes McPa ke w i l l ri ng the changes for tomorrow’s Championship clash with Alloa Athletic.

On the back of a disastrous derby display in their 6-2 defeat at Tannadice, the Dark Blues were dumped out of the Challenge Cup by League Two Elgin.

Manager James McPake will certainly make one change but is likely to make more after two disappointing results.

Goalkeeper Calum Ferrie was sent off last Sunday and will serve a suspension this weekend. The red card also carries a one-match Challenge Cup ban.

No 1 Jack Hamilton is expected to return in goal anyway but young Harrison Sharp will take a place on the bench once more.

Youngsters Fin Robertson and Josh McPake are back from international football while Danny Johnson and Jordan Marshall were rested last weekend and will return.

Jamie Ness took a knock that forced him off at half-time against Elgin but has returned to training.

Manager McPake said: “Ness should be OK. We left him off his feet yesterday but he was back today.”

The Dens gaffer was linked with a move for former Rangers midfielder Graham Dorrans.

However, he insists any contact with his ex-Livingston team-mate is purely social.

Asked whether the club would have money left in the budget for such a deal, McPake replied: “I don’t know, I’d need to ask the owners.

“That shows you how far it has gone, I’ve not spoken to either John or Tim.

“Graham will dictate where he goes and I’m sure he’ll have a list of clubs to think about and he’ll decide what’s good for him.”

Earlier this week, McPake said he wanted to see more creativity from his side, though he insists that doesn’t mean adding players like Dorrans.

He added: “I’m more concerned with what I have within my squad.

“We have plenty of players in there that can create, can score and create goals but it’s just about being better at doing it as a team.

“I didn’t mean I was looking to add anybody to that.

“When things aren’t going right you can’t just go out and bring more players in, that’s not the way it works because you’d have players everywhere.

“As a team we need to be more creative and that’s what we’ve been working on.”

Dundee’s experienced midfielder Jamie Ness was forced off at half-time last week but has returned to training ahead of tomorrow’s clash with Alloa.