Dundee – eventually – came through their Partick Thistle test with flying colours.
As ever, the Championship has thrown up another big one just a week later.
I wrote a wee while ago that the five fixtures between the Queen’s Park game at the end of October and the trip to Inverness at the start of next month will tell us what the rest of the season holds for this Dundee team.
So far, it’s been pretty decent.
A few more goals conceded than they would like but that’s four points picked up from away games at two of the top teams in the division so far.
Now comes the challenge of dominating big league games on their own turf.
Take away all the excitement at the end at Firhill and the gloom and doom at half-time, of which I was fully taking part, then you see a Dundee team who were more than deserved winners.
Yes, they were very, very average in the first half and conceded two goals.
But, across the 90 minutes, those were the only two shots mustered by the Jags.
According to the stats, the Dark Blues had 10 shots with four of those on target.
There is obviously work to do to tighten things up at the back but that tells me this side isn’t far away from clicking into gear properly.
Back it up
What’s more, they now have an injection of belief after the manner of Saturday’s win.
Being well on top in terms of the stats is all well and good but you have to make that pay by picking up the win and the three points – just ask Rangers on Sunday.
Dundee did that, and did it with style (notwithstanding Cammy Kerr’s celebration…).
Now comes the next task – back it up.
That’s crucial for any team.
But it’s even more important in the Championship, especially this Championship.
Already this season we’ve seen what happens when a team puts together a string of results.
Ayr are clear at the top, Morton have come from nowhere and Saturday’s challengers Raith Rovers, too, are on a similar run.
Raith Rovers
The Fifers have picked up three more points than the Dark Blues since the two sides met back in August.
Ian Murray’s side are bang in form, picking up 10 points from the last 12 available and scoring goals, too.
This will be a serious test of Dundee’s ability to realise their target of winning this division.
Their tails are up after a stunning comeback at the weekend and there will be a home crowd ready and waiting to get right behind them at Dens Park.
If they can make it back-to-back wins against two of their rivals in the top chunk of teams with a home clash with struggling Hamilton to follow, that tells me they have clicked into gear.
We all know the quality is there.
Saturday at home to an in-form Raith Rovers would be the perfect time to show their true colours.
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