Docherty acknowledges Dundee will face ‘really difficult’ test at Kilmarnock

Tony Docherty does not have to look back too far to recognise how difficult a task Dundee face against Kilmarnock in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup at Rugby Park today.

Thetaysiders’lastoutingwas at the same venue on December 30 where a last-gasp leveller from captain Joe Shaughnessy in the 2-2 cinch Premiership draw took a point back to

Dens Park. The two sides also drew 2-2 in Dundee in Septemberwhenzakrudden’sstrikein the second minute of stoppage time for the 10-man hosts gave The Dee a share of the spoils again.

Boss Docherty, formerly a long-time assistant to Killie boss Derek Mcinnes, said: “To get anywhere in the cup you have to play difficult teams in difficultvenuesandidon’tthink you would get a more difficult one outwith the Old Firm than Kilmarnock away from home, ontheirpitch.we’vejustplayed them in our most recent game so we know the task ahead of us and we know we’ll have to be our best and do a lot of things right to progress.

“We’ve got a really difficult game ahead of us. But if we apply ourselves like we had the previous two encounters against Kilmarnock – listen, it will be a terrific game, a really competitive match – hopefully we can edge it.”

Mcinnesurgedkilmarnockto fight to the final whistle against

Dundee after conceding those lateequalisersagainstthedens Park side in the cinch Premiership this season.

Mcinnes, happy to add striker Greg Stewart to his squad on Thursday after the 33-yearold arrived from Indian Super League side Mumbai City, said: “Dundee have scored a lot of goals from set-plays so the one thing you can guarantee in any game is the ball is coming in your box so you’ve got to withstand that. I think in open play we’ve been pretty comfortable against them. They do carry a threat at set-plays with the size they’ve got and both equalising goals were from corner kicks in the dying embers of the game.

“That’s allowed us to drop four points in the league which always nags away at you. I think it’s important that we try and focus on the good when we’ve played Dundee and just remember that we’ve got a job toseeitthroughifwe’reinasimilar position, but we’re going to have to work hard to get ourselves in front.”