Gary Bowyer: Dundee can only focus on themselves in final straight

Dundee manager Gary Bowyer says the Dark Blues can only focus on themselves as they enter the home straight in the Championship title race.

With two games remaining, Dundee sit one point clear of Queen’s Park at the top of the table and have a superior goal difference to their Glasgow rival as they head into Friday’s visit of Cove Rangers.

Dundee were on course to beat Inverness last weekend – a win that could have seen them clinch the Championship title on Friday at home to Cove but a Caley equaliser to settle the match at 1-1 means it isn’t quite so clear cut.

With two games to go, a win against Cove on Friday and defeat for second-placed Queen’s Park on Saturday would see the Dark Blues crowned champions. Bowyer says he’s disregarded that numbers and just focusing on three points.

“I don’t like to get carried away,” he said. “It’s no different for us.

“It’s the next game and preparation for us is no different than it was for the first game of the season.

“It’s how we’ve approached each game, going through strengths and weaknesses of the opposition and trying to formulate a game plan to present to the players. Then it’s up to them to go and deliver.

“Our preparations are no different.

“All we can do is concentrate on ourselves. It’s going to be a tough game against Cove on Friday/ Obviously they’re fighting for their lives and they had a wonderful win last week as well. We have no control over any other game at the weekend.”

With only one automatic promotion spot, and the runner-up facing the uncertainty of the promotion play-offs, there are huge stakes for both Dundee and Queen’s Park, who meet in what could potentially be a winner-takes-all final day clash next week.

“The play-off systems obviously generate all that interest all the way through to the end of the season no matter what part of the table you’re in,” Bowyer said. “Obviously coming up to Scotland it’s my first experience of the format.

“I think it all just adds to the excitement. It’s such a tough league and it has been all season.

People are talking about the numbers (of points) this season and how it will be quite low in comparison to previous years. All we’re doing is concentrating on that next three points.”

Meanwhile, Dundee have asked the SPFL to urgently intervene after Queens Park refused to increase what the club says is a ‘very disappointing ticket allocation’ for what could end up a title decider at Ochilview next Friday.

It’s understood the Dens Park side have only been allocated a few hundred tickets. The SPFL board is to consider the matter at a board meeting on Wednesday.