Dundee star Paul McMullan admits he’s never scored a goal like his 35-yarder against Ayr at the weekend – and he doesn’t think he’ll ever repeat it either.
The 26-year-old notched his first goal of the season in the 2-1 victory over the Honest Men with a wonder goal in the first half before finishing the match as the clear choice for Man of the Match.
The Dark Blues had been the better side in the opening half but without creating too many chances of note before McMullan ran from inside his own half and let rip from distance.
He said: “I had got the ball earlier in a similar place and I tried to pass to Zak Rudden but I thought the next time I get it, I am just going to hit it.
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“Thankfully it went in.
“I have never scored from that distance before and I’m not too sure I will ever score from that distance again!
“Their manager said to me ‘is there any chance of you not doing that against us – go and do it against somebody else’.”
‘Everyone has been inconsistent’
The victory was a timely one, putting Dundee in the top-of-the-table mix after a defeat and a draw in their previous two outings.
They are now level on points with Ayr, Queen’s Park and Greenock Morton and three points off leaders Partick and Inverness in a massively-congested Championship table.
“It was a big game for us as if we had lost there would have been a bit of a gap in the table with the teams above us,” McMullan added.
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“So we really needed the win and I’m glad we got it.
“You need to go on a run in this league. If you can put three or four results together you suddenly find yourself leaving teams behind you.
“If people are saying we have been inconsistent, it must mean everybody else has been inconsistent.
“Find that consistency, then you have a chance to put a bit of distance between yourselves and other teams – that has to be our goal now.”
Odds stacked
This week, however, the league takes a back seat as a League Cup semi-final place is at stake on Wednesday.
The Dark Blues have a perfect record in the competition this season, winning five of five matches and racking up an aggregate score of 16-2.
That record, however, will be sorely tested at Ibrox as Dundee face Rangers away.
Last season’s Europa League finalists stand in the way of the final four but McMullan insists there will be no fear from the Dark Blues even if the odds are stacked against them.
“The guys are looking forward to it,” the former Celtic kid said.
“We will turn up there and nobody is expecting us to get anything or get through.
“But we are going to go there, try to play our stuff, do our best and hopefully get through to the next round.”
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