Must do better: Ashcroft admits Dee can’t afford repeat showing for Alloa trip

LEE Ashcroft accepts Dundee can’t afford a repeat of their performance against Ayr when they travel to Alloa tomorrow night.

The centre-back says the Dark Blues “made it easy” for David Hopkin’s Honest Men on Tuesday as they fell to a lacklustre 3-1 home defeat.

That was their second defeat in three games and makes their recent run in the league just two wins in the last eight.

Despite tomorrow’s opponents Alloa being rock bottom of the Championship, Ashcroft knows there will be no easy ride at the Indodrill Stadium.

The defender missed their last trip to Clackmannanshire due to Covid-19, a match Dundee came from 2-0 and 3-1 down to draw 3-3. Saturday’s victory over Arbroath had been a positive step for the Dark Blues but once more a setback was lurking just around the corner.

And Ashcroft accepts much better is required between now and the end of the season.

“Losing on Tuesday makes Friday harder now,” said Ashcroft.

“If we had beaten Ayr, we would have gone into the Alloa game full of confidence.

“Now, it is going to be a tough game. It is always difficult going there but it is a bit harder now with the poor result against Ayr.

“We only have a couple of days before Alloa and that is a good thing – the game coming so quickly.

“Hopefully we can put it right then. I have never gone to Alloa and had an easy game. They are definitely no mugs and can play a bit as well.

“We know what to expect. I missed the last one there unfortunately but they gave us a hell of a game and we were lucky to come away with a point.

“We know it will be a battle but we have two days to recover and, hopefully, put things right.

“We gifted Ayr goals and that cannot happen on Friday.”

Dundee welcomed Ayr to Dens on Tuesday night expecting to carry on the good performance they put in against the Red Lichties.

Despite a positive start, things fell apart after Paul McGowan was robbed of the ball inside his own half and allowed Mark McKenzie to open the scoring for the struggling Honest Men.

Ayr had found themselves dropping into the relegation playoff spot before parting company with manager Mark Kerr and bringing in the experienced David Hopkin.

The Hopkin mentality kicked in for his new side when they took the lead and rarely looked like giving Dundee a route back into the contest. Another sloppy goal followed after the break when Christie Elliott was beaten in the corner by Patrick Reading.

His cross then found its way to Cammy Smith via the foot of Charlie Adam and the former Dundee United man made it 2-0.

McKenzie would smash in for 3-0 before Osman Sow grabbed a consolation goal late on.

Ashcroft said: “It was a different Ayr team to the one we

lacklustre Dundee slumped to a 3-1 defeat against Ayr. The home loss was painful viewing for James McPake.