Second chance for ‘rusty’ Dark Blues

SCOTTISH CUP: Replay at Inverness a positive for Dundee boss

Dundee boss Neil McCann admitted the only positive he could take from Saturday’s draw against Inverness was that his side were still in the William Hill Scottish Cup.

The Dark Blues face a replay in the Highlands a week on Tuesday after the game with John Robertson’s Championship outfit at Dens finished 2-2.

Dundee struggled to shake off the effects of their midwinter break against a side that has been playing league games throughout this month with McCann just relieved to have another chance to progress with a tie against Motherwell awaiting the winners in the fifth round following yesterday afternoon’s draw.

The manager said: “We didn’t deserve to lose the game but we also didn’t deserve to win it. I think you could see how rusty we were.”

Dundee will have to make history if they are to progress into the fifth round of the William Hill Scottish Cup.

The Dark Blues have never won at the Inverness Caledonian Stadium but they will be hoping to finally end that horrible Highland hoodoo a week on Tuesday.

Dens boss Neil McCann candidly confessed after Saturday’s home draw with John Robertson’s Championship side that the only positive to take from the game was that they are still in the cup.

He will be demanding that by the time the replay does come around, Dundee will have fully shaken off the rust that was evident in the first game between the sides.

The Dark Blues struggled to emerge from their midwinter hibernation and only really got going in the second half.

They conceded two sloppy goals though with flu victim Jack Hendry a big miss at the heart of the defence. All Dundee fans will be hoping he is back sooner rather than later although the 22-year-old continues to be the subject of intense transfer speculation.

Overall though, McCann’s men will be relieved they have another chance to progress in the Scottish Cup.

However, having a cup tie immediately after the winter break is something that has to be looked at.

It seems unfair on teams who have had an enforced rest for the first three weeks of January to suddenly be thrust back into action in an important competition against sides that have stayed razor sharp at the same time.