Kilmarnock were left to rue some wasteful second-half finishing as they were held to a 0-0 draw with Dundee at Rugby Park.
Substitute Bruce Anderson passed up the game’s best opportunity as he glanced a header wide, while Jamie Brandon and David Watson also came close as Killie drew for the third straight William Hill Premiership match.
Dundee started brightly and Joe Westley had an early goal ruled out for offside by VAR but the Dark Blues faded badly and they will be content to leave with a point.
Kilmarnock manager Stuart Kettlewell made just the one change from the side who beat Dundee United last weekend, with Greg Kiltie replacing Djenairo Daniels.
The Dundee team sheet showed two alterations from their draw with Rangers last time out, as Simon Murray returned from injury and Yan Dhanda came in for his debut, as Paul Digby and Ashley Hay dropped out.
Young Killie wing-back Ben Brannan has been one of their stars in the early part of the season and he had the first chance in the fourth minute, forcing a smart low save from Jon McCracken with an effort from distance after a well-worked corner routine.
The away side suffered an early blow in the eighth minute as Ryan Astley went down with a facial injury and the centre-back was absent for a remarkable 15 minutes before emerging from the tunnel after receiving treatment.
Despite their temporary numerical disadvantage, Dundee looked to have taken the lead with 20 minutes on the clock as Westley bundled home Dhanda’s cross but the goal was chalked off for offside following a VAR check.
Both of the other chances in a fairly uneventful first 45 minutes came from headers, as Murray glanced an attempt high before home skipper Brad Lyons headed into the ground, forcing McCracken to tip over the bar as the half ended goalless.
After a tight opening to the second period, Watson timed his run superbly as he raced onto a ball over the top but McCracken raced from his line to get a crucial touch on the bouncing ball as the midfielder tried to go around the keeper.
McCracken was equal to another low shot from Watson in the 66th minute and Jamie Brandon had an attempt cleared off the line moments later as the home side began to build up a head of steam.
Watson’s duel with McCracken continued in the 72nd minute as Clark Robertson’s loose touch allowed the midfielder time to pick his spot from the edge of the box, though once again his shot was too close to the Dundee goalkeeper who parried away.
The hosts had been much better in the second half and their best chance of the game fell to substitute Anderson, who ghosted in at the back post to get on the end of Brannan’s inviting cross but he inexplicably glanced narrowly wide from only six-yards out.
Both sides made plenty of changes in the latter stages and Dundee substitute Cameron Congreve nearly marked his debut with a winner but his shot from the edge of the box, which was Dundee’s only effort of the second half, was deflected wide as the game ended goalless.
