Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Ness: Dee were confident form tide would turn
DUNDEE midfielder Jamie Ness insists they were always confident their form would pick up ahead of Friday’s derby at Dens.
The Dark Blues go into the clash with city rivals Dundee United on a three-match winning run after a period of up-and-down displays.
Regardless, the Dee still trail leaders United by six points but Ness, match-winner in the 2-1 victory over Morton last Friday, feels they are now ready to stamp their authority on games.
“We’ve always had the confidence that would be the case,” the 28-year-old said on their finding good form.
“I know it’s difficult for the fans, the players and everyone involved at the club when we weren’t getting the results but I think we know what we’ve got in here.
“We see it in training, we see it in games and a lot of players came in over the summer so it’s maybe taken us a bit longer than we wanted to settle but I feel that’s what’s happened now.
“We know how we want to play and I think we’re really imposing that on teams at the moment and stamping our authority on the games.
“It’s been good to watch the past couple of weeks and to be involved on Friday night was great.”
The former Rangers and Stoke City man was delighted to be back in action and dedicated his 80th-minute winner against the Ton to newborn son David.
“It was a brilliant feeling because there’s been a few weeks of frustration, obviously, with me being out of the team,” he added.
“Being back fit, in training and having my little boy two weeks ago as well – it’s a nice little touch to score a goal for him there.”
Following the 6-2 defeat in the last derby at Tannadice in August, Ness is determined to repay the fans with a better performance and, he hopes, maximum points as they look to close the gap to the Terrors at the top of the Championship.
However, the midfielder knows the only way Dundee can do that is by focusing on their own displays, not United’s.
“We’re not looking at them, we’re just concentrating on