Dundee boss Paul Hartley says his team have to cope better with the pressure of playing in front of their own fans after a goal-less draw with Raith Rovers at Dens Park on Tuesday night.
The Dark Blues knew before the clash with the Kirkcaldy side that a win would move them three points clear at the top of the Championship table ahead of Hamilton.
Instead they could only draw, producing a tense, nervous performance against a resolute Rovers outfit.
Hartley said: “We didn’t play the way I wanted them to play. There was a nervousness about our play. They have to handle playing in front of their own fans better.
“If we hope to win the league, then we have to deal with it better. We have to win our home games and the players have to be brave.
“They have to handle the pressure. But they just didn’t perform.”
Hartley’s counterpart Grant Murray he was delighted to be leaving Dens with a point.
He said: “It was a good point and I was thoroughly happy with the performance of the players.
“Coming up here against a Dundee team who have been winning most of the season was always going to be difficult but I felt we gave a good account of ourselves.
“Hopefully, we can now kick on. We got a good three points on Saturday against Morton and a point here tonight so we should have a bit of belief for what is another tough game against Livingston this weekend.”
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