DECLAN McDaid has assured Dundee supporters they’ll be ready to hit the ground running in their upcoming Championship campaign.

The Dark Blues made heavy weather of Saturday’s turgid Betfred Cup clash with League One new boys Peterhead, before prevailing through a 4-2 penalty shoot-out victory to keep them in pole position in Group D.

James McPake’s side, whose final group game is at home to Championship rivals Inverness this Sunday, are on course to qualify for the last 16 despite this latest goalless draw with part-time opposition which followed on from their similar spot-kick success last midweek against Cove Rangers.

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But winger McDaid, who joined from Ayr United earlier this summer, has told the Dundee faithful not to fret ahead of their televised Friday night curtain-raiser away to Dunfermline on 02 August, in their quest to regain automatic promotion in the wake of last season’s relegation from the Premiership.

McDaid, 23, "We should be ready by the time we got to Dunfermline for the opening league game of the season. "We're still trying to play the way we want to play. It's a bit frustrating for the fans as well but I'm sure it will all come together soon.

"At Ayr last season, we had a good season and came close in the play-offs. It's a tough league but with the squad we've got I don't see why we can't get back up.

"There are always teams up there round about the top of the table. You never quite know who else will be challenging. But I think we'll have enough. That's our aim anyway."

Dundee eventually won through Paul McGowan’s decisive spot-kick after McDaid had himself missed, while Jack Leitch and Jamie Stevenson both failed from the target for Jim McInally’s impressive Blue Toon.

This was a timely test for the Taysiders who’re sure to find many more teams trying to make life hard for them in the season ahead.

Glasgow Times:

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And McDaid said: "It's not going to happen straight away, so the fans will need to be patient. "We've been doing well in pre-season but the last couple of games have been quite hard.

"I think it's going to happen a lot this season with teams coming to Dens and sitting in.

"We're trying to play football but we need to find a way to break teams down as well. But we've got there in the end by winning on penalties again, and hopefully by the end of the week we can still go through."