ON THE BEACH:

Dundee players continued their preparations for the Scottish Cup tie with Bonnyrigg Rose by training at Broughty Ferry yesterday. Read more on the Dark Blues on

With Dundee in Scottish Cup action this weekend, boss James Mcpake has time away from league pressures to reflect on the season so far and should be licking his lips at what lies ahead.

Beating Bonnyrigg Rose at Dens on Saturday to progress to the third round will be the priority, but you can bet Mcpake’s mind will be drifting back a few weeks when the complexion of their campaign was very different.

He can look back on their six-game unbeaten run – capitulation against Dunfermline aside – with pride.

Upon collapsing to a 3-3 draw with the Pars, things were looking bleak for the Dark Blues despite beating Arbroath and earning a draw at Inverness.

But, to the credit of all at the club, they have turned things around.

A trio of 3- 1 wins against Queen of the South, Alloa and Hearts have followed to lift the Dee to joint-second in the Championship table with Stevie Crawford’s Fifers, and they’ve been good value for it.

Dundee have the performances of inspirational figure Charlie Adam, six goals in four Osman Sow, and unlikely heroes Ja ck Hamilton and Shaun Byrne to thank for being just five points behind leaders and title favourites the Jambos.

Are the Dark Blues back in a title race? Given Robbie Neilson’s men have a game in hand and fourth- placed Raith – who the Dee travel to next Tuesday night – have two, it’s hard to say at this pivotal juncture.

However, one thing is sure: The Dundee boss’s experiment seems to be quietly paying dividends in his second season.

Arguably, he’s been more maligned by the support this time out. However, at this stage last term, 11 games in, the Dee were a point and six goals worse off than now.

Their defensive record is worse, with five more goals conceded but, crucially, the Dee lay in fourth and six points behind leaders Dundee United last season.

Yes, football is entirely different this term in pandemic times and there are teams playing catch-up but, if Dundee keep their form, there’s no reason why they can’t kick on from here.

That point is crucial because it mirrors the 2019-20 campaign. Approaching a third of the way through the season, the Dark Blues were in the middle of a three-game winning run.

Their form tailed off, before picking up again, then dropping off once more before they seemed to get it together just as C o v i d -1 9 turned everyone’s world upside down.

Partic ularly in this shortened 27-game season, stringing together a long sequence of good results is of paramount importance.

Mcpake will know that and will be cursing the Dunfermline result even more than he was at the time. You can throw Raith right back at the start of the season into that category, too.

Without doubt, sitting four points better off the Dee would be in a title race.

That is, as yet, not the case and all they can do is try to build from here.

Ma i n t a i n i n g their momentum by swatting aside non-league Bonnyrigg this weekend will do for starters, a main course of Raith and fellow-promotion challengers Ayr next week will, hopefully for the Dee, be dealt with as well.

T he swee t taste of success to cap it all off in the spring? A mouthwatering prospect.

James Mcpake.