Source: PA
Dundee V Inverness CT at Dens Park Stadium : Match Preview
Dundee V Inverness CT - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game live.
Smith hoping for response from rested Dundee
Dundee manager Barry Smith hopes his side's lay-off can be the catalyst for them picking up their first home victory in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League when Inverness visit Dens Park.
The Dark Blues have had almost two weeks, because of the international break, to smart over their 3-0 defeat by Hibernian, which left them rooted to the bottom of the table.
The SPL new boys are now preparing to host Terry Butcher's resurgent Inverness side in the Friday night fixture with Smith banking on his players' eagerness to get back into action in the hope it can finally see them chalk up three points in front of their own fans.
He said: "Normally when you have had a free week for whatever reason it means you are just desperate to go out there and do yourself justice.
"I can sense a determination among the players to do well in what will be a very difficult game.
"It's all about getting up for this fixture and treating it like any other which which we face.
"I would hope there's still a feeling of frustration from the way we lost at Hibs because again individual errors cost us, which is something we want to put right."
Lewis Toshney again looks like missing out for Dundee. The on-loan Celtic full-back has been troubled by an ankle problem in recent weeks.
Stephen O'Donnell (hamstring), Mark Stewart (knee), Carl Finnigan (knee) and Jamie McCluskey (Achilles) are still out.
Inverness midfielder Ross Draper is focused on pushing further up the table.
Caley Thistle moved up to eighth place with consecutive victories over Dundee United and Ross County and could take advantage of their Friday night fixture by jumping another five places.
Terry Butcher's side are on a five-match unbeaten run and are eager to maintain their form as they close their first round of fixtures against the bottom club and St Johnstone.
Draper, who scored his third goal for the club in their 3-1 Highland derby win, said: "We have got a couple of games coming up where we think it's important for us to kick on.
"The gaffer said earlier in the season that it's hard to get a run going because, especially last year, you come across Celtic and Rangers and Motherwell and teams like that.
"So we have to try to pick up points and win games that we know we can win, and maybe pick up points against the big teams.
"The next couple of games we have to pick up as many points as possible and try to climb the league.
"Two weeks ago we were looking at the bottom two. A couple of wins and you are sitting mid table.
"It's a good feeling but we don't want to be happy with mid-table, we want to kick on and get as high as we possibly can."
Dundee's summer of uncertainty over their league status has been exacerbated by an injury crisis that still robs them of skipper Stephen O'Donnell among others.
Barry Smith's men have lost four games in a row and are four points adrift in an otherwise tight SPL table, but Draper will take nothing for granted on Tayside.
The 23-year-old former Macclesfield player said: "There's no easy games in this league. With what happened to them over the summer, they have struggled early doors but they are still a decent team.
"They are looking to get their first home win under their belt and probably see games against ourselves at home as a chance to pick up their first win."