Trio of home games can benefit Dee

VICTORY on the road at Hamilton last weekend gave Dundee a massive lift as they strive to lift themselves off the bottom of the Premiership.

But there’s little doubt why Paul Hartley’s team find themselves still occupying bottom spot in the top flight.

It’s because their home form to date simply has not been anything approaching up to scratch.

Six league games in front of their own support have seen the Dark Blues muster just two points.

They came from clashes with Hamilton and Kilmarnock and, having squandering chances to win both those games, those stalemates had the air of defeats.

Even a victory when Motherwell visit on a Saturday would leave them three points adrift of where they were at this stage last season when it comes to the home points tally.

And the other home stats for this term don’t make good reading either. Six Dens outings have seen just four goals scored — but a worrying 10 have been conceded.

Those are hardly the kind of figures that will put plenty of bums on seats in the home sections this weekend.

The good news that, on paper at least, there’s an upcoming run of Dens fixtures gives hope that record can show considerable improvement.

Back in August, Dundee looked comfortable in taking a point from a goalless clash with the Steelmen down at Fir Park.

And, although Mark McGhee’s side were impressive as they put four past Ross County last time out, they have not won on the road since beating Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on the opening day of the league season.

This game, of course, is followed by the final international break of the year and once hostilities have resumed with what looks a treacherous trip to Rangers, Dundee have home games against Inverness Caley Thistle and Ross County to look forward to between the end of the month and mid-December.

Picking up points from that trio of Kevin Gomis tackles striker Chris Cadden the last time the Dee played this weekend’s visitors Motherwell.