Dundee 2
Motherwell 0
League (Premier Division)

Manager's Programme Notes

Everyone at Dens is looking forward with keen anticipation to getting into action again this afternoon when Motherwell are the welcome visitors.

Our eagerness stems from last Sunday at Tynecastle when we put in what many have said to be our best performance of the season in beating Hearts 3-1. I'm sure all our supporters in the larger-than-average crowd thoroughly enjoyed their afternoon in Edinburgh.

Certainly we were in control for nearly all of the game apart from a very brief spell just after they had scored from their second penalty of the day to pull the score back to 2-1. Fortunately our lads kept their heads, weathered the storm and got back on top of their opponents to finish worthy winners.

There were many pleasing aspects to last Sunday's game and there were good signs off the park too - for our travelling support in Edinburgh was as good as it has been for some time.

All the players are delighted that they are now starting to give our loyal fans something to shout about and when you consider that Tynecastle was our third away victory in a week then that can't be bad, can it?

Which brings me nicely to our win at Tannadice when I was delighted not only for myself and the players but for our great support, who were able to enjoy a moment of triumph over our neighbours at long last.

As I said in the Press after the game, the win is just the same as any other in that it brings two points to the club, but I know just how much it means to the fans to take something from these derby games and for that reason I was absolutely delighted. And what pleased me also was that the general consensus of opinion is that we deserved to take more out of the game than our opponents and that cannot often be said when talking about games against United.

It was mainly our determination which won through at Tannadice but there was much more than that to our performance last Sunday. Some of the football we played was out of the top drawer and it would be suffice to say that many of our moves brought applause from the sporting home crowd.

But we're not in the business of pleasing other supporters although that would be nice, and I'll be content only when we can apply our determination with the type of skillful soccer we played last weekend.

The other away success was at Muirton in the League Cup and although conditions were far from ideal the result was a good one and it sets us up nicely for a section decider against Aberdeen here at Dens Wednesday week.

But before than we must continue our recent good form and take care of Motherwell this afternoon. Dundee vs Motherwell games in the past were traditionally full of good football and I hope this afternoon proves to be no exception.

The Fir Park club is in a state of change following the departure of Jock Wallace but I'm sure the Steelmen will put that behind them to give us a good hard game today.