A difficult week for Dundee will get a lot worse this afternoon if their exit from the Betfred Cup is confirmed.
The Dark Blues’ find themselves clinging to the slimmest of qualification hopes after Tuesday’s defeat to Peterhead left them second bottom and with just four points in Group A – a point behind today’s visitors Forfar.
It hasn’t been the best of times for Dundee fans, with that 2-1 loss to the Blue Toon swiftly followed by the departure of 25-goal striker Kane Hemmings to Oxford United.
Therefore, the players are desperate to avoid the ignominy of being knocked out today if they can help it.
Midfielder James Vincent said: “It’s frustrating, to be honest.
“We didn’t want to be in this position but we’ve still got to take the positives from what we’ve been doing.
“We played some great football against Peterhead on Tuesday night.
“We felt like we were in control especially going in at half-time when everything was good.
“We were just missing the goal and felt we could have gone on to get two or three goals if we could just get ahead.
“Sometimes it happens in football when you get a free-kick or a penalty against you, and they scored from a set-piece then from the spot.
“We know ourselves we need to be a bit more clinical in front of goal.
“If we can get our noses in front, we can then play the right type of football which the gaffer wants us to play.
“And if we play like that more often than not we will get the right result.
“It’s the same as every other game we’ve approached so far.
“It’s just a case of trying to win against Forfar and hoping it’s enough to get us through.”
Understandably, there was disgruntlement among the travelling fans up north in midweek, while the news of Hemmings departure has been greeted with dismay by many.
Despite all that, Vincent is urging the supporters to back the side against the Loons this afternoon.
“It’s important that the fans stick by us,” he said.
“You always want that to be the case.
“It’s understandable that they get frustrated but there is nobody more frustrated than the players.
“It means a lot to them (the fans) to win games and get through but it means just as much to us.
“Hopefully, we can give them the right results to make them go away in a positive frame of mind and make sure we’re all pulling in the same direction.”
The Dens men will, of course, miss Hemmings and Vincent is looking for himself and others to help provide goals in his absence.
The former Inverness Caley Thistle man said: “I know he was fantastic for the team last season and I have played against him so know how good he was.
“Of course, scoring that amount of goals he will be a miss but it’s down to the rest of the team now – the forwards and midfielders – to chip in.
“It is just part and parcel of football that players come in and some move on.
“Everyone knows that – it is what it is.
“It’s up to the team to just carry on.
“It’s just life and you expect it if someone does well.
“I think it’s a good move for Kane.
“I think they (Oxford) are a big club and it looks like they are having a good go at it this season.
“I have a mate who plays there and I speak to him regularly. He tells me they have a good fanbase.
“I can understand why Kane’s gone there.
“I don’t know the ins and outs of the move but it has obviously appealed to him.”
Meanwhile, the Dark Blues are poised to renew their interest in former Dunfermline frontman Faissal El Bakhtaoui following Hemmings’ departure.
Manager Paul Hartley was keen on the player as far back as May but talks broke down over terms.
