Dundee goalkeeper Elliot Parish feels the top six is still a realistic ambition despite losing out to Hibs.
The 1-0 win for the Easter Road men at Dens Park on Wednesday night left the Dark Blues still down in third-bottom spot in the Premiership table.
However, they are as close to six-placed Motherwell as they are to bottom club Ross County – five points either way – with 10 games to be played before the split.
So Parish is looking up the way as Dundee turn their attention to Saturday’s trip to face Hamilton Accies.
He said: “It was very frustrating that we didn’t take anything from the Hibs match, especially as we didn’t have a great game against Inverness in the cup either.
“I thought we reacted well against a good side and on another day we could have had a point or possibly more, if we had taken our chances.
“Now we will go to Hamilton still full of confidence and we need to get the three points on Saturday.
“It is a massive game for us and also a massive few weeks.
“We are going into a big part of the season and what happens this weekend could be key to that.
“We have to be positive because sixth place is still right in our sights.
“We want to get right up that table and beyond that.
“We need to get a run of games that we win back to back and that is very achievable.”
Parish played very well in the home goal in midweek but he was still outshone by Hibs keeper Ofir Marciano.
The highlight of a terrific display from the Israeli was a wonder save to keep out a netbound Mark O’Hara header in the second half.
That earned the Easter Road keeper a respectful thumbs-up from Parish.
The Dundee number one said: “That was almost a match-winning save.
“I was right behind it and, from where I was standing 100 yards away, it was a hell of a save.
“He did it in the last game as well.
“My first match for Dundee was at their place and he did the same against Faissal (El Bakhtaoui).”
The goal that won the game was a poor one from the home team’s perspective, with both scorer John McGinn and Simon Murray allowed too much time inside the box.
Parish said: “Whatever type of goal you concede it is frustrating.
“We just have to keep together and try to keep a clean sheet against Hamilton.
“I hate losing and I have gone through it in my head, knowing on another day it could have been a completely different result against Hibs.
“Hopefully, we don’t have too many more games like that.”
As for the bigger picture, Parish is enjoying life at Dundee after taking over in the wake of the Scott Bain controversy.
The 27-year-old Englishman said: “I have loved it.
“I am playing OK but there is still more to come and I need to keep working away.
“When I came in we were conceding goals.
“It was all about stemming that flow and it was about getting clean sheets.
“We have done that and now we need to keep building.”
