“I think we have been doing well defensively and, apart from the second half against Airdrie, our record over the last few weeks must be really good,” said the centre-half.

“It’s probably down to us having good experience in Bobby Mann and Barry Smith being in there alongside myself and Dicker (Paul Dixon), and the fact we’ve had a run of games together has been good.

“Earlier in the season, it did not help that the team had to be chopped and changed all the time. Having the same back four for a while has helped us build an understanding.

“However, for all our clean sheets, there have been a couple of 0-0 draws in the run, so we have dropped points. It is only once we are winning regularly again that we can think of looking at the top of the division.

“Right now, it is just a case of getting our heads down each week and trying to win the next game. If we can do that for a few weeks, maybe then we can start thinking about the promotion race again. But, really, we are just going to try to get as high as we can and take things from there.”

A steady improvement in results has boosted confidence among Alan Kernaghan’s squad, but Macdonald has not forgotten what he refers to as “too many bad days”.

One of them came against tomorrow’s opponents Ross County, when they dumped Dundee 3-0 at Victoria Park in mid-November, while, back in September, the home team were fortunate to come away from a goalless Dens draw with a point.

“The game up there was, obviously, one of the bad days and I don’t think we played well in the draw here either.

“I got on in the second half in that game because it was my first game back from injury and, although we kept a clean sheet, the manager was not too happy with the way we played.

“Up there, we had a lot of things that needed put right, but we are going into this one in better form and, if we keep working hard for each other, I’m sure it’s a game we can win.”

The manager believes hard work was the key to the result last time the teams met and believes it will be a major factor again tomorrow.

“They worked harder than us and were sharper, and that is why they won. We’ve been working hard recently, though, and can get a result tomorrow,” he said.

“I’ve been happy with the defensive performances, and last Sunday against Stranraer we started scoring goals and it is now a case of trying to keep that going.”

Dundee today signed goalkeeper Andy Britton on a short-term contract. The 20-year-old was born in California, but holds a British passport and, with Derek Soutar and Kelvin Jack both still injured, he will provide cover for teenager Scott Murray tomorrow.