Dundee manager James McPake used their midweek performance and a recent cup scare to warn his players of the dangers of Saturday’s trip to Dumbarton.

A goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time kept Dundee in the Scottish Cup last season against Lowland League side Bonnyrigg Rose before they came from behind to win 3-2 in extra time.

Dundee travel west on Saturday for this season’s fourth round fresh from a 2-0 defeat by Livingston and McPake stressed that improvement was necessary.

“The mindset wasn’t bad when we played Bonnyrigg, we just weren’t great on the night, like the defeat at Livingston on Tuesday,” he said.

“If that happens on Saturday at Dumbarton then they’ll punish us, like what we nearly got last season.

“They are a good side who will want to create a cup upset and get themselves a glamour tie to help them financially.

“If we think we can go down there and just walk over Dumbarton then we’ll be in for a massive shock to the system, something the players are aware about. Tuesday night wasn’t good enough and we need to rectify that.”