Darren O'Dea deems Dundee's Ross County clash must win for top-six hopes
Darren O'Dea has deemed Dundee's game against Ross County as a must-win match in their quest for a top-six finish.
The Dens Park club are in seventh place in the Ladbrokes Premiership, three points behind the Staggies with a game in hand and a better goal difference of two.
With only three fixtures remaining before the league splits into two, the 29-year-old Irishman, who recently signed a new three-year deal following his arrival on a short-term deal in January after leaving Indian Super League club Mumbai City, believes County need to be caught on Saturday.
The former Celtic and Blackpool defender said: "Must win, I think so. Obviously there are still two games after it and if you pick up six points from that, you would have a chance I suppose but they are the team above us.
"We have a better goal difference so if we win the game, we go up into sixth so yes, we are at the stage of the season where there are no more real chances. We need to do it now.
"We are at home. We have had a break so there is no excuses. We will go into the game confident and looking to win.
"It's there for us, it is in our hands, what more can you ask for?
"It is down to how to perform as a team. I know a couple of the players who I played with in the youth teams at Celtic and they have some really good players.
"The worst they will be is hard working and difficult to play against but they also have a lot of quality in the team as do we. So it should be a good game and one we are all looking forward to."
Goalkeeper Scott Bain and midfielder Gary Harkins are suspended for the game.
Defender Kosta Gadzhalov (shoulder) is out while midfielder Nicky Low and right-back Paul McGinn are struggling with knocks.
James McPake (knee) remains out but fellow centre-backs Julen Etxabeguren and Thomas Konrad have recovered from injuries.
Meanwhile, Ross County striker Brian Graham insists Jim McIntyre's League Cup winners will not be satisfied with their season if they miss out on the top six.
The Staggies claimed their first major trophy last month when they beat Hibernian in the Hampden final.
Alex Schalk sent followers of the Dingwall side wild with his last-gasp winner, but strike partner Graham admits finishing as high up the Ladbrokes Premiership table remains County's number one priority.
McIntyre's team currently sit sixth and have a three-point lead over Dundee and Partick, with Highland rivals Inverness a point further back. However, the chasing trio all have a game in hand on County, who have just two games to play before the split.
Graham said: "Winning the cup was a great day out for the club and it will go down in history.
"But we want to finish in the top six - we don't want to end up in the bottom half, when basically our season would be over.
"To get a trophy was great. It was a bonus - but our number one aim at the start of the season was to get top six and that is what we've got to concentrate on.
"We want to get into that top six, keep challenging and see how high we can go."
County could give their hopes of cementing a place in the top half a major boost if they can overcome Dundee at Dens Park on Saturday.
But Graham is worried by the Dark Blues' strike force, with 22-goal striker Kane Hemmings backed up by the added threat of Greg Stewart and Gary Harkins.
Graham said: "On the day it will probably come down to who can defend better because both sides can score goals.
"They have some really good attacking options but hopefully our centre-halves are right on it while myself and whoever I'm playing alongside take our chances at the other end. If we do that, we should come away with the three points."
Key pair Jackson Irvine and Liam Boyce are out of the game.
Boyce suffered a repeat of his broken hand while training with Northern Ireland and Irvine is out until the split with an ankle injury.
Craig Curran (concussion) is still out and Jamie Reckord is struggling with a knock but goalkeeper Scott Fox is back in training after a knee problem.
Source: PAR
