A superb strike from Bobby Linn ensured Dundee could only draw 1-1 against Arbroath at Gayfield.
The Dens men fell behind to the superb, curling strike from the former Dark Blue on 37 minutes but hauled themselves level just after the hour thanks to Kane Hemmings’ header.
In atrocious conditions, the sides could not be separated and a solitary point remains between the two clubs in the middle of the Championship table.
The form slump continues for James McPake’s side, who have not won for four games now.
Gayfield welcomed their visitors with some swirling wind and rain but there was still a healthy crowd inside the old stadium.
The Dark Blues, playing in all white, made a bright start and Danny Johnson had a shot blocked on two minutes.
A couple of minutes later, Dundee central defender Jordon Forster escaped with only a booking when he was late on Michael McKenna after the Lichties man nicked the ball forward 30 yards out.
The home player would have been free to run at goal had he not been fouled. Linn fired the resultant freekick over.
Forster was the Dundee hero on 14 minutes when he threw himself in front of a strike from home skipper Thomas O’Brien that looked to be about to burst the net.
The Lichties were breaking forward well and Mark Whately drove the ball wide, while Colin Hamilton and McKenna both had decent attempts. In Hamilton’s case there was some sibling rivalry, with his brother Jack the Dundee goalie.
Johnson blasted over for the Dens men on 27 minutes before the visitors had a penalty claim ignored by referee Alan Newlands. The Dundee players thought a freekick from Graham Dorrans struck an Arbroath hand but play raged on.
When the opening goal came it was a cracker scored by Linn.
With 37 minutes on the clock, the former Dark Blue collected a pass from Scott Stewart, steadied himself then curled a beauty of a shot in from just inside the box to give Hamilton no chance.
The players were greeted by worsening weather as they came out for the second half.
The Angus men picked up where they left off by taking the game to the visitors.
The Dark Blues brought on Paul McGowan for Shan Byrne on 57 minutes as they looked to get back into the match.
And they pulled themselves level with a fine headed goal from Hemmings on 61 minutes.
The Englishman guided the ball expertly past goalie Derek Gaston from 10 yards after being found by Cammy Kerr’s delivery.
The hosts kept their heads up, though, and drove at the Dundee defence whenever they could.
In fact, they should have retaken the lead on 73 minutes when Linn found space inside the box but hooked his shot over the Dark Blues’ bar.
Finlay Robertson came on for Josh Todd for Dundee, who must have thought they had scored when Johnson’s shot missed the far post by a coupel of inches.
Another Linn strike from distance was well saved by Hamilton on 80 minutes. A few minutes later, the goalscorer left the field to applause when he was replaced by Luke Donnelly.
Johnson came close for the visitors in stoppage-time but his shot went wide of the far post.
