Pressley calls for Dundee character after second cup loss

Steven Pressley expects to see resilience and character from his players following a difficult start to his Dundee reign.

Defeats to Alloa Athletic and Airdrieonians have left the Dark Blues with no chance of Premier Sports Cup progress.

Speaking to DeeTV after Saturday's 1-0 defeat to League 1 opposition at the Indodrill Stadium, the new head coach said: "There is a lot of work ahead of us."

Group matches against Bonnyrigg Rose and Montrose come this week before a Scottish Premiership opener at home to Hibernian on 3 August.

Asked how his squad respond, Pressley added: "By accepting, by understanding that's not good enough, and as a group, me, the players, have to show resilience.

"It's far from the ideal start, it's not what we wanted, but you have to show character in these moments and that's certainly what I expect us to do.

"They are a very good group. I have said we need reinforcements but that's irrelevant because we have to do better than that.

"They want to do well, but it will take time.

"I saw improvements in our defensive principles, we were much better in those. But from a creative aspect we certainly have to be better."

The only goal in Alloa came when Luke Graham deflected a Steven Buchanan shot into his own net on 68 minutes.

Talking to BBC Scotland after the game, Pressley said he would like to add "five or six" more signings, before adding that he assumed "full responsibility" for the loss.

"The issue is a combination of a number of things," he explained. "We do need more players in, but I don't think we did well enough today with the group of players we had on the pitch.

"Choices in possession weren't good. I thought we played too long on too many occasions. We have to take greater ownership and responsibility and make things happen.

"Some of them tired significantly in the second half and we looked a team, at times, lacking in intensity. We have to find solutions to that."