Dundee suffered their third successive defeat as they lost narrowly to Hearts at Dens.
The Dark Blues could count themselves unfortunate not to have taken a point from the game after conceding a solitary, scrappy goal in the first half.
However, while they had late chances, they did not do enough in the second 45 to salvage at least a draw.
Dundee boss Jim McIntyre made two changes from the team that was beaten by Rangers at Ibrox two Wednesdays ago with strikers Craig Curran and Kenny Miller coming into the starting line-up with Jesse Curran and Paul McGowan dropping to the bench.
There was also a place among the Hearts subs for former Dark Blues favourite Craig Wighton.
The home side made a good start to the game with Andy Dales having a chance in just the sixth minute but his shot was deflected over for a corner.
Nathan Ralph was next to try his luck with a low 30-yard effort that flew just inches past Hearts goalie Zdenek Zlamal’s right-hand post.
The Jam Tarts had barely posed an attacking threat before they took the lead in 14th minute. There was an almighty scramble in the Dundee box before the ball broke kindly for Hearts Sean Clare who stabbed home from six yards past Dark Blues keeper Seny Dieng.
McIntyre’s men looked to hit back straight away with Miller hitting an angled drive with Zlamal having to look lively to save with his feet.
Dieng then produced an acrobatic, diving stop to keep out a well-struck effort from Callum Morrison.
Overall though Dundee could feel aggrieved heading down the tunnel still in arrears.
There was little to excite the fans of either side at the start of the second half with the hour mark passing without any further goal threats.
Dundee were huffing and puffing to no great effect while Hearts seemed content to sit on their lead and try to hit on the break.
And it was the Jam Tarts who finally had the first chance of the half in the 69th minute but Dieng comfortably dealt with Uche Ikpeazu’s snap shot.
As the clock ticked down, the Dark Blues came agonisingly close to equalising in the 84th minute but Miller’s header was tipped away for a corner by Zlamal and then the goalie came to the rescue once more to keep out a well-hit shot from sub John O’Sullivan.
However, it was all too little too late from a dark blue perspective.
