“It was one of those where I think I had to remind myself after the game that I’d scored, because I was so disappointed at the result. Then what transpired later with Duff, it is a game I will never forget, but for the wrong reasons,” said the former Celtic and Preston man.

Revenge is perhaps too strong a word to use, but he does admit defeat that night and its ramifications, means there is an added determination to pick up three points when Neil Watt brings his talented Blues to Dens Park tomorrow.

“Before a game, you are always looking for extra motivation and what happened gives us that. On the night, though, Stranraer deserved to win and it is up to us to make sure we are the better team tomorrow and get the win this time.”

Since that last meeting, it has not just been the manager that has changed at Dundee. With new boss Alan Kernaghan showing a willingness to give youth its chance, there will be fresh faces in the home line-up.

Not only does Lynch feel the likes of teenagers Kevin McDonald and Scott Gates were deserving of their starting berths in the win over Brechin a fortnight ago, he believes they will play a big part in the coming months.

“Since the gaffer has come in, he has steadied the defence and it has looked harder to score against us. He’s also given some of the young boys their chance and Scott and Kevin have been outstanding.

“As a young lad, I think it is important to make the most of it when your chance comes along — I know that from my own experience at Celtic — and they have done that. With them, I definitely don’t think it is flash-in-the-pan stuff and you are going to see them contending for places from now on.”

Despite the youthful look to the line-up and that CIS Cup reversal, Lynch believes only a win tomorrow can be considered acceptable.

“Stranraer are very well organised and play to their strengths, so it can be an uphill task trying to beat them. On the bigger pitch at Dens, hopefully we can stretch them and try to get in behind them.

“While we will have the greatest respect for them because they have had a few good results, we are under no illusions that if we want to be winning this league and getting back to the SPL, this is the kind of game we have to be winning.”

On the fitness front, two of this season’s regulars are definitely out and a third is also likely to be missing.

Goalkeeper Kelvin Jack hurt a knee when he collided with a post during Trinidad’s World Cup win over Mexico on Wednesday and will be sidelined for a week to 10 days, while Iain Anderson has failed to recover from a groin problem.

And the ankle injury picked up in the win over Brechin a fortnight ago, means in-form striker Steven Craig is likely to drop out.

“I spoke to Kelvin on the phone yesterday and, while the injury is not too bad, he has seen a specialist and there is no way he will make tomorrow,” explained Alan Kernaghan.

“We are fortunate that Derek Soutar is fit again and will take over. Likewise with Steven, we have Tam McManus, who can move up beside Simon Lynch, so it is not too much of a problem.”