St Johnstone and Dundee both remain in relegation trouble in the cinch Premiership after the Tayside derby ended in a goalless draw.
Saints halted an eight-game losing run in the league but passed up an opportunity to leapfrog their neighbours who had suffered defeats in their previous six Premiership matches.
While rival managers Callum Davidson and James McPake could take satisfaction from clean sheets, neither side could conjure up the goal needed to break the deadlock and it left Saints in the automatic-relegation spot, two points behind the Dark Blues.
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Striker Callum Hendry partnered recent arrival and one-time Dundee United and Celtic attacker Nadir Ciftci in a Saints line-up which showed four changes in the wake of a shock 1-0 Scottish Cup defeat to Kelty Hearts.
The striker’s inclusion came hot on the heels of being recalled from a loan at Kilmarnock in the Championship.
Dundee’s Canadian signing Jay Chapman and ex-Aberdeen winger Niall McGinn were listed among the replacements.
Saints manager Davidson has been plagued by injuries all season and in the eighth minute, Ciftci pulled up clutching a hamstring and had to be replaced by Chris Kane. Ciftci cut a disconsolate figure as his home debut was cut short and he was forced to limp up the tunnel.
