Scott Bain Sets Sights High For Dundee

[JoeCovenant]

Goalie Scott Bain is enjoying his football with Dundee right now.

A run of four wins in six matches that’s seen the Dark Blues climb the Premiership and reach the last 16 of the Scottish Cup does that for a player.

But, when the 26-year-old looks to what lies ahead for the rest of the season, he does so with a heavy dollop of realism.

That shouldn’t be taken as code for concern, it’s just that he knows a lot of hard work has still to be done to make this the kind of campaign Dundee want.

And that starts with what he hints could be a campaign-defining top-flight clash with Motherwell at Dens Park.

“I think today’s game, if we want to be only looking up the table, we need to win it,†he said.

“I can’t speak for the other boys but, on a personal note, I think I am still looking over my shoulder as well as up the way.

“That’s just because the league’s so tight this season. A couple of wins can take you right up to fourth, but two losses can take you down near 10th or 11th in the table, so I think you have to look both ways at the moment.

“It’s not negative to look behind you just now, it’s just being realistic and this game is a chance for us to make a big step.

“If we win, we can maybe get a wee gap between us and the teams below.

“Then we can be looking up the way and not down for the rest of this year.â€

That Dundee have come good over the last month and a bit has not surprised the former Alloa goalie.

If anything has it’s that a winning run did not come sooner.

“We’ve known since the start of the season that we would have a run of good games and some point. Maybe we’ve been waiting on it for a longer time than we expected.

“We went through that spell when we drew games and then we didn’t really pick up the wins we should have.

“Now we really need to take advantage of this spell of playing well and collect some points.

“We have to try to beat the teams around us to solidify a top-six finish.â€

That’s his aim and for many fans an expectation. On that note, Bain then adds another chunk of realism.

“I think we’ve a better squad than last year, so we want the top six again but, at the same time, the club still has to establish itself as a Premiership team again.

“We have to do that over the next three, four or five years. So just staying up again, it will be a huge achievement.

“But we also know we have quality in there and that means we can go and push hard to be in the top six.

“Last year we definitely over-achieved a bit by making the top six in our first season up. That’s given high expectations but we know what we’re capable of.â€

For Bain, his second season at Dens has not brought quite the same adulation for performances, though, as he showed at Aberdeen a week ago he is still pulling off exceptional saves most week.

Recently, it’s been a man at the other end of the park, Kane Hemmings, who’s been getting the plaudits for putting the ball in the net. That’s fine with the goalie.

“As long as Kane is banging them in and we’re winning games that’s all that matters. It’s not an individual thing here.

“Knowing him as a friend I’m delighted because he’s on fire just now.

“Even as a goalkeeper, he’s a help because he gives me the option of putting the ball up the pitch early.

“He’s strong, he gets his bum in there and holds people off. He’s good at that and getting in behind as well and right now there won’t be many back fours looking forward to playing against him.â€

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[gedee]

Every game it seems, ends up a "must -win" game.....but even Scott agrees this one today should be seen as this.

"I think today's game, if we want to be looking up the table, we need to win it"   He also adds ..... “A couple of wins

can take you right up to fourth, but two losses can take you down near 10th or 11th in the table, so I think you have

to look both ways at the moment.  He's right of course.   But his "puir twirlin een" will be in acute pain, if he disnae

 settle doon before the gemme .... Between checkin' oot if the Dee are up or doon, checking oot whar the baw is, and

whit his nervy defenders in front o' him are up tae !! Good Luck to yourself Scott and all the lads in today's game