Major update on Dens Park as Hibs' top six battle goes to the wire

The race for the final top six spot in the Scottish Premiership this season is going down to the wire with Hibs, Dundee and Motherwell battling it out to finish on the right side of the divide.

Celtic, Rangers, Hearts, Kilmarnock and St Mirren have confirmed their spots in the top half while Livingston, Ross County, St Johnstone and Aberdeen will be in the bottom half. There is just one full round of fixtures left to play as well as the rearranged Dundee vs Rangers match but the condition of the Dens Park pitch continues to be a major talking point.

The Dee could bag the last top six spot before a ball is even kicked this weekend if the beat Rangers on Wednesday night while a draw would end Motherwell’s hopes and mean that nothing less than a win for Hibs along with an Aberdeen victory or draw against Dundee on Saturday would be enough for the capital club to overtake them.

The big question at the moment is if that midweek clash will indeed go ahead after the pitch at Dens Park passed a late inspection on Saturday despite visiting head coach Stuart Kettlewell raising significant concerns. However, Dark Blues gaffer Tony Docherty has spoken to the press this morning and confirmed he fully expects the match to be played.

He said: “I've just had an assurance the game will be on. That's all I need to know.” When quizzed about the current state of the pitch and the threat of further rainfall, Docherty replied: “It's not an area I'm comfortable talking about. My job is to prepare the team and that's what I'm doing.

“We've got a second opportunity over the two games in the next week and we know what the objective is. We are very focused and driven. We know the enormity of the task. Both teams are going in with different motivations, but who's to say which motivation is stronger?”

Update on Dens Park pitch as Hibs, Motherwell and Dundee go to the wire in Top Six battle

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