Dundee’s Paul McGowan insists no-one at Dens is getting carried away after Friday night’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Hearts.
The Dark Blues were well and truly on the ropes against the Jambos when they went 2-0 down in the 48th minute following what had been a dismal first-half display.
However, McGowan came off the bench to help spark a revival, equalising after Darren O’Dea had pulled one back before Marcus Haber netted a winner deep in stoppage time.
The 29-year-old midfielder candidly confesses though that Dundee simply cannot afford to play as poorly as they did in the first 45 against Hearts when they travel to face Partick Thistle at Firhill tonight.
He said: “If we hadn’t won we could have gone bottom but now we’re seventh in the table.
“This wee mini period before the winter break, we want to get as many points as possible.
“We can worry a bit less about what’s behind our back.
“But it’s only part of the job done. There’s still a lot of work to be done.
“Every game is massive now for any team round about that area, including this one coming up against Thistle.
“If we can put a few wins together, we could push away from the area where we don’t want to be in obviously.
“The Hearts result is great, but we can’t afford to produce what we did in the first-half again. It wasn’t acceptable.
“The manager won’t let that happen – that’s for sure. He sets high standards.
“We got out of it ultimately but, on another day, we could have lost 2-0 or 3-0.
“It reminded me of the Inverness game earlier this season when we were so off it.
“You could understand why the crowd were getting agitated and angry.
“That first-half against Hearts wasn’t us, when you consider how we train each day.”
McGowan is normally one of the first names on the team sheet and it was something of a surprise to see him selected on the bench against Hearts after returning from suspension.
However, while obviously not happy to be a sub, he fully respects the manager’s decision and he was just delighted to help play his part in the victory.
McGowan added: “I don’t take my place for granted. I never have done and never will. That’s not me.
“I had no grievance with the manager’s decision to start me on the bench against Hearts.
“To be fair, the boys did well in the game before at Parkhead when I was suspended.
“Nobody deserved to drop out from that point of view.
“I know, though, what I bring to the team.
“I respect the gaffer’s decision although obviously I wasn’t happy with it.
“But I think I proved what a good character I am by going on and making some sort of difference. I will never let it affect me.
“I got the goal and had a hand in the other one after it which shows I am all for doing what’s best for the team.
“At the end of the day, it’s a team game and whoever the gaffer picks has to be respected.
“Listen, I’m used to being a starter and that was the first time I’ve been a sub in I don’t know how long.
“But I was happy with my response and, more importantly, the end result on the night.”
While admitting the first-half performance against Hearts wasn’t acceptable, McGowan insists the Dundee players deserve credit for their stirring fight-back.
However, he wasn’t entirely sure if the reversal of fortunes had been sparked by harsh half-time words from Hartley.
He said: “Well, I wasn’t in there at the interval as I was warming up.
“But I would imagine so because he was fuming on the sidelines.
“We weren’t sticking to the game-plan and it just wasn’t happening.
“All credit to the boys, though, being 2-0 and responding the way they did. It speaks volumes for us.
“We’ve had a lot of knocks this season. You could tell the fans were frustrated.
“Everybody, to be fair, was feeling the same way.
“All credit to Hearts because they bossed it in the first-half.
“But the gaffer made some changes and we got a wee lift from the goal.
“Then, when we got the first one, we were confident we could go on and get another one.
“It’s probably the best feeling you can have, coming from 2-0 down and winning in stoppage-time.
“It’s up there with the best celebrations we’ve had.
“The boys were buzzing in the dressing-room at the end and quite rightly so.
“We were dead and buried so I couldn’t have seen us coming back.
“All credit to the guys, we stuck at it and got the goals we deserved.
“Remember, Hearts are a great side. They’ve got some top players.
“It’s a massive three points for our season when you consider how tight the league is.
“Every point is just massive and that’s how it’s going to be between now and the end of the season.”
