Fight and defiance should be a given from a team which takes the pitch for every game knowing defeat will send them out of the SPL.
But what certainly can’t be taken for granted from a relegation-haunted side is an excellent standard of football.
The Dark Blues achieved their second away victory in a row against St Mirren on Saturday, and once again outplayed as well as outscored and outfought their opponents.
Their main creative cog, Gary Harkins, said: “It isn’t just about blood and guts here. It’s certainly not the way I play. We’ve shown we can compete, play some football and win games at this level.
“There’s no fear. When you know you have to win it helps you drive on and score.
“We played well again today and deserved the three points. We created a lot of chances in the last 20 minutes and we’ve kept it going for another week.
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“We’ve done well in a lot of games since I came here and we’re now scoring a few goals, getting the rub of the green and picking up wins.”
If the Dundee players are confounding their critics, so too is the manager, John Brown, according to Harkins.
The former Kilmarnock man explained: “He’s a big character and he’s still standing tall. If you thought he was just a big hard defender he’s shown different because he wants us to go out and play and express ourselves. For me that’s ideal.”
Dundee’s directors are sticking to their stated intention of interviewing other candidates than just interim boss Brown for the post of permanent manager, but it would be a shock if they don’t give the man currently in charge the nod.
That’s certainly how Harkins sees it.
He said: “He’s done well since he came in and the players are happy with him. It’s not my call but I can’t see why if a manager’s winning games you wouldn’t give him the job.”
The harsh reality is of course that if Brown is indeed confirmed as manager for next season, he’ll almost certainly be working in the First Division.
Dundee need four wins out of four in the run-in, while St Mirren require just the one.
At the moment it still appears a case of delaying the inevitable, but Harkins and his team-mates are certainly determined to increase the anxiety in Paisley.
He pointed out: “We’ll just keep taking each game as it comes, try and win it, and see what happens.
“It’s a big gap. We’ve got to win next week and if St Mirren do the same then fair play to them. We’ll have done the best we can. If not it’s another week for them to bite their nails and for us to go and get three points again.”
There were a lot of similarities in this game to the previous one at Kilmarnock.
John Baird had a hand in the opener at Rugby Park, and he laid on Dundee’s first against Saints as well.
On 24 minutes the striker got his foot first to a bouncing ball and prodded it forward for Jim McAlister, who left Marc McAusland flat-footed in the box and fired his shot past Craig Samson.
For the second game running Dundee went into the break a goal up, only to be pegged back once more.
Seven minutes after the restart Steven Thompson met a Gary Teale corner to power a header home from six yards out.
Jim Goodwin’s second yellow reckless challenge on substitute Carl Finnigan on 65 minutes gave Dundee the extra man advantage to press for the winner, and it arrived when the victim of the challenge connected with a Harkins cross.
His diving header came off the under-side of the bar but clearly bounced over the goal-line.
Harkins said: “I was relieved when the goal was given. It was definitely in but we’ve had those sort of decisions go against us.”
Manager Brown reflected: “It’s another game where we’ve been hard to beat and another victory. It’s been about building the club so Dundee aren’t a laughing stock and the players aren’t easy to walk over.”
And there’s certainly no doubt that he would like to see through the job he’s started.
“Dundee’s a big club,” Brown pointed out. “I had a great playing career here and I’d love the opportunity to stay.”