Dundee may have fallen short of sending their 3,000-strong travelling support home happy at Arbroath.
But the stalemate at Gayfield was enough to put them top of the Championship with just five matches remaining.
It’s only the second time all campaign they’ve ended a weekend as top dogs in the division.
The plan is to be there in a little less than a month’s time.
But what did we learn from this goal-less contest that might tell us if they’ll do just that?
Momentum
Title successes are all about momentum.
Dundee, however, have struggled to build any throughout the season, particularly since the turn of the year.
Though they couldn’t manage a third win on the spin, a fifth match unbeaten represents their best run of league form in 2023.
At a difficult venue against a side who themselves are unbeaten in six matches and chances have dried up, the task becomes about keeping a clean sheet.
The Dark Blues did just that to make it 11 points picked up from the last 15 available with 12 goals scored and just one conceded.
The wind was tricky, the opposition stubborn but Dundee kept their momentum going.
Defence
That was all thanks to the meanest defence in the division.
In particular Lee Ashcroft and Ryan Sweeney in the centre of that backline, just like they’ve been all season.
In their 31 league matches this season, Dundee have kept a remarkable 15 clean sheets.
The nearest Championship challenger on that list has nine. Celtic in the Premiership are on 14.
Also on nine now is goalkeeper Adam Legzdins. Though he barely had a save to make in this contest – showing just how strong the defence in front of him has been – Legzdins is now level at the top of the clean sheet chart.
Calum Ferrie, Charlie Albinson and Brian Schwake all have nine to their name from 32 and 31 appearances each.
Legzdins has nine in just 19 matches this term.
Crowd
Wow, what a turnout from Dundee fans.
Yes, Arbroath is a short journey. Yes, it’s a good day out and especially with the sun shining.
But the number who turned up at Gayfield was remarkable with kick off even delayed due to fans still queuing to get in.
On their own, the 3,036 away fans at Arbroath was a greater attendance than both sets of fans at each of the other three Championship matches on Saturday.
The teams are out and we're almost ready to kick off at Gayfield pic.twitter.com/Efg7BmhIhx
— George Cran (@di_cranio) April 8, 2023
The Red Lichties faithful deserve huge credit, too, for playing their part.
Just a shame the football on the pitch didn’t match up to the excitement off it.
Championship title race
It may not have been the ideal way to do it but all that matters is Dundee now sit in first place.
And they can take firm grip of the title race on Tuesday at home to Raith Rovers.
With just one away trip left before the last day at Queen’s Park, form at Dens Park will go a long way to securing a return to the Premiership at the first time of asking.
That will require more quality than shown at Gayfield.
But the opportunity is there – it’s time to go grab it.
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