Wilkie was one of the stars last night as the Dark Blues booked a Hampden place against Gretna on April 1 with a dramatic quarter-final replay win over Hamilton Accies.

It was Wilkie’s first start since rupturing cruciate ligaments for a second time last April and that he lasted not just the 90 minutes but the 30 minutes of extra-time it took to see off Accies by 3-2, amazed even himself.

“It’s just unbelievable. When I was on that plane last year all I was thinking was get the operation, do the rehab and then take things from there,” said the Scotland man.

“I’ve only really started thinking about playing quite recently, so it is amazing that I’ve played in a game to help us get to a semi-final.

“It has not sunk in properly yet, but it is great to be back.

“To play 90 minutes would have been pleasing, but to end up going for 120 minutes is more than I thought I could manage.

“It was a tough shift, but I have been doing a lot of running and at no time did I feel I’d have to come off.”

Physically, at least Wilkie expects the reality of last night’s marathon to take its toll by tomorrow and he could be back in the stands as a spectator for the trip to Airdrie United.

“The knee is going to stiffen up a bit, that’s only natural, and I don’t think you should expect to see me out there at Airdrie because that one might just be coming a bit soon.”

Wilkie does, though, warn Sandy Stewart’s Diamonds that, however tired the opposition legs are, they will have to work hard to get anything from Dundee.

“I know from being a young player not that long ago that consistency is a problem when you first come into the team, but being alongside the young ones we have in the side now has impressed me even more than watching them.

“A lot of credit has to go to them for performing well when so much was at stake last night and that can only give them more confidence. There will be tired legs tomorrow, but whoever plays will give it their best shot.”

Not surprisingly, the players were given a long lie by manager Alan Kernaghan today and did not report for a light training session until just before lunch-time.

He will make extensive changes for Airdrie and the likes of Graham Law, Colin Marshall and last night’s winning goal hero Steven Craig could all be in the starting line-up.

“We will have to make extensive changes because last night has taken so much out of them,” said Alan.

“No one is complaining, though, because they are still on a high.

“I really can’t say how huge a performance they gave and everyone played a part — that was particularly pleasing for me.”

A yellow card in the defeat at Hibs last weekend edged him to within one booking of that and Robson admits he will have to tread carefully over the next two months.

If fair play had prevailed, however, he feels he would have no worries.

“I’ve already had a suspension because of that sending off and it will only make it worse if I get another three games. I still don’t think it was a red card and that’s what makes it frustrating,” he said.

“Everyone saw it on the telly and everyone who has spoken to me about it has said it was not a red card, but I think because the game was heated at the time the referee has gone with a red, which was wrong. I just went for the ball and over-ran it. I don’t think Steven Pressley helped me any with his reaction to the tackle, but that’s just the way football is. There are a few games until the end of the season and I have to make sure I do not see yellow cards in any of them so I can start next year with a clean slate.”

Although United themselves have not been going well, no wins in seven games, Livi arrive on the back of a woeful run.

Their last nine SPL games have ended in defeat, they have not won since beating the Tangerines in early December and are barely averaging a goal every two games.

Robson, though, is concentrating on putting his own team’s troubles behind them and insists the focus in on getting that first win for Craig Brewster, not ensuring Livi equal a league record of 10 consecutive losses. He continued, “We’ve never thought about it and I did not even know about that statistic. All we will be thinking about is trying to play well and get three points for us.

“We will be striving to put together a performance over 90 minutes. Last week against Hibs was disappointing because we did not give ourselves a chance, but, although we have not won since the new manager came in, the problem has usually been not killing teams off when we’ve had the chance.

“There have been a lot of hard games like Celtic and that Hearts game when I got sent off, but we have played well for big parts of them. The fact we have not been winning has been down to players like myself because we need to do more when we have the ball. We need to take responsibility to create more chances and score more.

“We are working really hard to get there and the boys are doing double sessions and things like that. With the individual talent we have in the team there is no reason why we cannot get it together and win a good few games before now and the end of the season.”

United have no game next week because of Dunfermline’s involvement in the CIS Cup Final, but Robson is likely to see action with the Scotland Future side when they face Turkey at former club Inverness Caley Thistle.

It could be the first time since he left almost three years ago that he has not taken stick from Highland fans, though on that score it will be a case of seeing is believing.

“They might still boo me, you never know. It’s good to be involved because it means you have been doing something right at club level and, hopefully, it is just one step from the full international squad.”

Derek Stillie is expected to return tomorrow after back trouble, but a calf injury should rule out Grant Brebner.

Livingston today signed ex-Coventry, Leeds and Aberdeen player Noel Whelan and ex-Celtic and Sunderland player Colin Healy. Both are in the squad for tomorrow.

“We showed character and guts to come back from two down and our effort was there for everybody to see.

“The Ross County game is one of the top ones in the division and we’ve got to go there and win.”

Both clubs are trailing First Division tabletoppers St Mirren, with Saints six points behind the Buddies and the Paisley side having played a game less.

Defender Simon Mensing is still out suspended and so St Johnstone will go north with the same pool which was on duty against Airdrie United.

Today, Owen met with some Saints fans at a special lunch held in the club’s Centenary Suite. The £12 lunch offer was quickly snapped up by fans eager to hear tales of Owen’s long football career. The event was the latest in a series of fans’ meetings Owen has been having.