Dark Blues will be ready for battle

Dundee striker Simon Murray insists they will “refresh” and be ready for the post-split survival battle.

A hitherto good week for the Dark Blues – they achieved successive draws against Hearts and Celtic – was spoiled at Ibrox on Saturday when they were beaten 4-0 by Rangers in the final fixture before the Premiership is sliced in two.

The heavy loss to the Light Blues left them stuck in 10th spot going into the last five games of the season against their fellow bottom-six sides.

However, those points earned at home to the Jam Tarts and away to the Hoops have helped keep their heads above water, with Neil McCann’s men four points ahead of Ross County and five better off than bottom side Partick Thistle.

Murray, true to form, is in positive mood going into the final stage of the season despite Dundee having won only one of their last 10 matches.

The ex-Dundee United man said: “We have put in some good performances recently.

“I know we conceded four goals against Rangers but the good thing is we are creating chances.

“I had a couple of chances and I have to take them and be ruthless because that’s my job.

“We just have to put that behind us and refresh and go again.

“The team had also defended well for the two games before this,” he said.

“We went to Parkhead and got a clean sheet so it wasn’t really our day this time.

“We maybe could have scored at 1-0 down but it wasn’t to be.

“We were still having a go at 2-0 but the third goal killed it off for us.

“It was still a promising performance, though, and we need to regroup.

“It (staying up) is in our own hands now so we just need to go again.”

Simon Murray: staying in positive mood for the run-in.