Pittodrie performance proves fighting spirit

Celtic’s Moussa Dembele has a shot blocked as Motherwell’s Tom Aldred displays the heroic defending that earned his team a 0-0 draw despite playing more than half of yesterday’s Premiership game at Fir Park with 10 men.

This was neither a big step forward for Dundee nor a big step back. What the Pittodrie performance did confirm was that a timid surrender such as the one against St Johnstone was the exception rather than the norm.

For all their failings this season, Dundee’s endeavour hasn’t been called into question too often and there is every chance it won’t be called into question again.

They fought from first to last, with the return of Paul McGowan and Glen Kamara bringing with it the anticipated tenacity in midfield.

But the display also reaffirmed what regular viewers of this team have known for some time – there is no combination of strikers used so far that will turn them into a clinical team this season.

In a tight game of few chances, such as Saturday’s, you wouldn’t fancy Dundee to win.

They are in the position of being a Partick Thistle revival away from the play-off position and a Ross County revival away from even more serious consequences because of failings up front, such as A-Jay Leitch-Smith’s on Saturday.

It is unfair to put pressure on a man who has missed so much football with a serious knee injury, but Craig Wighton may yet have an important part to play for Dundee before this campaign is over.