The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Confident Dundee’s fate lies in own hands
Stewart says win over Staggies is perfect boost ahead of Celtic’s visit
We gave away some sloppy goals, but we are a match for anyone if our attackers are on our game.
GREG STEWART
Greg Stewart sees Dundee’s thumping win over Ross County on Saturday as the perfect boost going into the final two games that will determine their top-six destiny.
The striker was back to his very best against the Staggies, tormenting their defence and contributing two cracking counters in the Dark Blues’ five-goal haul.
The victory over the League Cup winners propelled Dundee back into the top six at County’s expense on goal difference.
Prior to the game, Dens boss Paul Hartley had targeted two wins from their last three fixtures before the split.
They are half-way to achieving that aim thanks to Saturday’s victory, and it will be mission accomplished if they can triumph either against table-topping Celtic tomorrow night at Dens or away to Hamilton next week.
However, one thing Stewart was certain of was that the Hoops are in for a tough time against a buoyant Dark Blues.
He said: “The win gives us massive confidence going into Tuesday.
“We are a difficult team to beat at home and we have done well at Dens Park. We want this to be a place where teams know they are not going to get an easy run. We want to win all our home games.
“If we get there (top six) we deserve it, but right now we don’t.
“It is in our hands and if we win our games we will make it. It is up to us really.
“We just want to better last season. We can still go for fourth but the main thing is the top six.
“If we get there we can kick on, but we just want to get the top six.
“I felt if County had scored five, we would have got six. The way we play we get that freedom from the gaffer in the final third.
“We gave away some sloppy goals, but we are a match for anyone if our attackers are on our game.”
Dundee stormed into the lead in just the seventh minute when a County corner was cleared to Kane Hemmings, who passed to Stewart on the halfway line.
He embarked on a rampaging run to the edge of the Staggies penalty area before cracking a great shot past County keeper Gary Woods.
Two minutes later, the home side extended their lead when Kevin Holt headed back for Hemmings to calmly slot home from six yards.
The Staggies were stunned, but hit back in the 15th minute. Martin Woods swung a corner in from the left, and skipper Andrew Davies bulleted a header past Dundee goalie David Mitchell with the home defence posted missing.
The Dark Blues then restored their two-goal advantage in the 38th minute when a Hemmings curler was deflected into the net off the side of Rory Loy’s head.
However, seven minutes later County hit back once again. Alex Schalk burst into the Dundee box before calmly cutting back inside and hitting a curling shot which Mitchell got a hand to but could not keep out.
Dundee made the better start to the second half but their lead remained a slender one as the hour mark came and went.
They finally put the game to bed in the 86th minute.
Stewart hit a shot which was blocked, but the ball fell kindly for substitute Craig Wighton to rifle home.
The icing was well and truly put on the cake in the second minute of injury time when Stewart twice dummied to shoot, tying Davies and Ian McShane in knots, before hitting a trademark finish past Woods to seal all three points for his side.
When asked if he had given any thought to passing instead of shooting at his goals, Stewart smiled and said: “No. When I get into that position, all I want to do is to score.
“Maybe it is not always the right decision, but I hadn’t scored for a few weeks.
“So it was good to get a couple and to help the team win.
“The second one was my favourite because we knew we had won the game at that point and I have managed to send the two defenders the wrong way and finished it well.
“I am happy to be in double figures again, and I will be happy with a few more over the final games,” he added.