Luke McCowan says his ’49-yard’ strike in pre-season gave him the confidence to chip Zander Clark on Sunday.
McCowan’s 62nd-minute chip was enough for Dundee to register their first Premiership victory of the campaign.
The 25-year-old struck from the centre circle against Fleetwood Town in pre-season, lobbing the stricken goalkeeper from distance.
Sunday’s chance may have been closer in but the stakes were far higher with Hearts very much in the ascendancy but the score still 0-0.
The result was the same in both instances, though. This time Zander Clark the goalkeeper caught away from goal with the net rippling once again.
What a hit from Luke McCowan! 🚀 #thedee pic.twitter.com/3jo7U2Ydmp
— Dundee Football Club (@DundeeFC) July 8, 2023
“It was a similar technique,” McCowan said.
“I have produced a finish like that before. Maybe not as far out as I was in pre-season.
“A goal is a goal and it doesn’t matter if it is from nine yards or 49 yards, they all count for the same.
“I just remember getting the ball and Tiffoney shouting at me and I told him to be quiet.
“Luckily enough I saw Zander off his line and I’ve put it in.
“If I hadn’t put it in I wouldn’t be standing here, it would be Tiffoney or somebody saying: ‘I’ve passed away in the changing room!’”
Team sheet surprise
Pre-match there was a lot of confusion over whether McCowan would in fact be starting the game.
He was down in the Dundee team lines but in error with Josh Mulligan supposed to be in central midfield.
McCowan, though, insists any confusion or disruption pre-game made no difference to his performance.
“You always have to be ready and that is the message the manager sends us all,” he said.
“No matter who starts, we have to be ready to play.
“The first game of the season, we lost one of our centre halves four minutes in.
“So we have to be ready and no matter who it is then you have to be ready.
“I was surprised to hear about it.
“Football is a funny old game and it is the first time I have heard anything like that.
“I am just glad to help them team and to get the three points.
“I am going to put the lottery on if that was the case and I was in and out.”
Lessons
McCowan has been one of the most impressive performers in dark blue this season – Sunday was his second Man of the Match award of the campaign.
He puts that down to his previous experience in the top-flight.
Though ultimately disappointing, McCowan is taking as many lessons from that 2021/22 campaign as he can.
“Speaking personally, I have more understanding and maturity in the game,” he added.
“I know it is not about personal performance but how you can help the team. It is about maturing and learning in the game.
“I explain that to some of the younger players that it is not about how you are looking in the Premiership but it is all about how hard you work.
“You play Rangers, Celtic and Hearts and you see how hard they work and you need to match that.
“We showed against one of the better teams in the league we can handle ourselves.
“We just need to keep going week to week and be consistent.
“It is not about showing up some weeks.
“We have to be motivated every time whether or not we win or lose.
“It is all about the next week and how we can move on.”
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