Dundee United brought an end to Aberdeen’s perfect away record as they earned a valuable Premiership point at Tannadice.
It was far from a vintage display from United as they toiled and failed to match the Dons for large parts of the game.
However, the result lifts Micky Mellon’s men into the top six as other results went their way.
United showed two changes from their Betfred Cup win over Kelty Hearts in midweek with goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist returning from injury to replace Deniz and Scotland star Lawrence Shankland coming in for Louis Appere.
The Dons, who welcomed Connor McLennan into the starting line-up, enjoyed the best of the early chances.
Siegrist had to be alert to deny Jonny Hayes from 25 yards on two minutes, while Mark Connolly had to make a recovering goal-line clearance to thwart Scott Wright soon after.
On nine minutes, Dandies defender Tommie Hoban nodded the first of three first-half headers wide from a Ryan Hedges corner.
The pressure from the visitors would continue, with Hedges forcing another impressive parry out of Swiss stopper Siegrist to keep the scores level.
Derek McInnes side caused problems in the wide areas for the Terrors, with McLennan, Hayes, Wright and Hedges looking dangerous as Ross McCrorie and Lewis Ferguson dictated the game behind them.
United tried to enact boss Micky Mellon’s game plan, seemingly to contain, maintain possession and narrow the pitch.
However, communication at the back was poor as their defence routinely dropped runners and left men unmarked in the box.
Aberdeen saw a penalty claim for handball against Lawrence Shankland turned away but continued to run the midfield and control the ball.
Another Connolly blunder let Wright steal a march and slip in Irishman Hayes but the winger could only drag his cross-cum-shot across the six-yard box with no takers.
On 36 minutes, United registered their first shot on target of the encounter. Ryan Edwards saw his header comfortably saved by Dons skipper Joe Lewis, however.
In the final moments of the opening period, the Reds had a glorious chance to break the deadlock.
Breaking from a Tangerines’ corner, Wright look destined to smash home but was denied from 12 yards out by the magnificent Siegrist.
After the interval, the match continued in the same manner with the Granite City men in control.
Although United had moments, they largely huffed and puffed their way through the opening moments of the half.
Reading loanee and Scotland international Marc McNulty entered the fray for his Terrors debut just before the hour mark to form what looks a promising partnership with Shankland.
Conversely, the home defence looked shaky. First Connolly and then Reynolds nearly sold the jerseys but the Dons profligacy in front of goal persisted.
McNulty and Calum Butcher linked up to good effect on 63 minutes but Ash Taylor threw himself at the latter’s goal-bound attempt to charge it down.
On 73 minutes, Ferguson was on the end of a sore one from Peter Pawlett, with both men requiring treatment before carrying on.
From the resultant free-kick, Niall McGinn, just on the park as a substitute, forced a stooping save from United No 1 Siegrist.
Sub Logan Chalmers had United’s best chance of the game on 81 minutes as he was denied at close range by Lewis as the home side broke.
He should’ve scored and United were left ruing that glorious opportunity, in a game where they had little, as they came away with a share of the spoils despite some late pressure from both sides.
McCrorie went close for the visitors, while Shankland pinged an ambitious long-range effort at Lewis but neither side could do enough to come out on top.
Dundee United (3-5-2): Siegrist (GK); Edwards, Connolly, Reynolds (C) (L Smith 63); Bolton, Harkes, Butcher (Powers 78), Pawlett (Chalmers 78), Robson; Clark (McNulty 56), Shankland.
Subs not used: Deniz (GK), C Smith, Fotheringham, Appere and Neilson.
Aberdeen (3-4-2-1): Lewis (C), Hoban, Taylor, Considine; McLennan (McGinn 74), Ferguson, McCrorie, Hayes; Wright (Edmondson 62), Hedges; Watkins.
Subs not used: Woods (GK), Logan, Ojo, McGeouch, Hernandez, Ngwenya and Ramsay.
Referee: Alan Muir.