Lee: Decider was so crazy I couldn’t recall scoring

Lee Ashcroft admits Dundee’s crazy eight-goal title battle with Queen’s Park on Friday was such a blur he can’t even remember scoring.

But the big defender insists the Dark Blues will have to be fully focused next season to avoid their top-flight return fading away as it did two years ago. Ashcroft slammed home Dundee’s second goal in the topsy-turvy decider with the Spiders at Ochilview.

The 5-3 victory – which saw the lead swap hands three times before the first half ended 3-3 – sent the 1100 travelling Dee fans into ecstasy after finishing an incredible Championship campaign on top. Now Ashcroft is looking forward to booking a holiday having avoided the need for an extended season through the play-offs.

The 29-year-old has yet to sign a deal that would see him return to Dens after the break.

But that’s his wish. And should the ex-Kilmarnock and Dunfermline star get it, he’ ll be desperate to make up for the failed campaign two years ago which saw them finish with just 29 points.

He said: “It all just feels like a blur. The first half was wild which is great for the spectators but not for us.

“We are delighted to have got over the line in the end. Queen’s Park put up some game against us, which we knew was going to be case.

“Do I remember my goal? Not really, I keep forgetting I scored, it was all that much of a blur. The first half was just nuts. Amazing for the neutrals but the true fans must have had their hearts in their mouths just like us.

“Second hal f, we were more composed and got over the line.

“I don’t think the gaffer knew what to say at half-time to be honest, we were all kind of in shock.

“It was all a bit hectic in the first half, a lot of end-to-end and a lot happening in the game. It was good for us to get in at half-time as we had just lost a goal and it gave us a chance to regroup.

“We calmed it down a bit and when we came back out we knew that our front players were causing bother and would get more chances so it was a case of us keeping them out at the back.

“It is hard not to think negative thoughts. There are young players in our team but having been there before I knew we just had to keep going.

“We got it back to 2-2, went 3-2 ahead and they scored just before half-time to make it 3-3. A wild first half, I don’t think I have ever played in the like of it.

“The Championship is hard. The teams in it are sturdy and make it hard for you. Not many teams have run away with it so we knew it was going to be a battle to the end. We have done it and now we need to build on it for next year.”

Gary Bowyer’s side had to claw back a seven-point deficit on Queen’s to take the title, which saw them go 10 games unbeaten to end the campaign.

And Ashcroft reckons the nature of their triumph will give Dees the belief to attack their return to the top flight.

Last time out his season was disrupted by a hamstring injury.

But he said: “One hundred percent [it gives us confidence]. The last time we went up we started the league pretty decently and then went onto a run of bad form which you can’t afford to do.

“I got an injury at a bad time – we had been on such a good run – and then when I came back it happened again.

“If the club want to keep me I will hopefully do better this time round.

“Every game in the Premiership is hard so we are going to need all the experience we can get.”

Ashcroft reckons gaffer Bowyer deserves huge credit for steering the club back into the big time in his first season in charge.

He said: “He has been amazing. He’s good at calming the boys down in these kind of games. He never gets too far ahead of himself or goes over the top, he just knows how to calm boys in nervy situations.”