Dundee In Sweat Over Fitness Of Key Strike Pairing

[JoeCovenant]

Dundee are sweating on the fitness of key frontmen Kane Hemmings and Rory Loy ahead of this weekend’s top-six decider with Hamilton.

The front pair started but were withdrawn — Hemmings at half-time, and Loy just after the hour mark — last night as the Dark Blues secured a hard-fought, but deserved, point at Dens Park against title-chasing Celtic.

And manager Paul Hartley confirmed he is waiting to see how the duo recover ahead of what is a crucial encounter at New Douglas Park.

In fact, he says the Dark Blues might have to patch their key men up with the match meaning so much to Dundee’s campaign, with a win securing their place in the top six post-split. Paul said: “Kane has a bit of a dead leg.

“He was a bit of a doubt before the game but he wanted to play.

“Rory has taken a knock also and we will have to make sure we rest them up till Saturday.

“It is a massive game in terms of our aspirations for the season.â€

Greg Stewart, who was also carrying a knock prior to last night, is expected to be OK.

Reflecting on the Hoops draw, Paul was full of praise for his players, who have taken four points from their last two games and wrested control of their fate back into their own hands.

“I was delighted with it. I thought it was an excellent team performance,†said the gaffer.

“We limited them to just a few chances. We had a few chances ourselves.

“I thought our organisation was different class. The work rate and team spirit was tremendous, also.

“The whole team were excellent from start to finish. Overall it is a great point for us and it is all to play for on Saturday.â€

Despite asked to do so, Paul was keen not to pick out any one of his players for particular praise. However, he did let slip that he was delighted with the job youngster

Cammy Kerr performed keeping man of the moment Kieran Tierney, recently a star on the international stage with Scotland, quiet.

“We coped with Celtic,†Paul added.

“Scott Bain didn’t have too much to cope with really.

“Anything that came into the box the centre-halves dealt with. I thought the two full-backs were brilliant also. And Cammy Kerr did a good job limiting Tierney.â€

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