Derek McInnes insists being top of the pile is all that matters after Kilmarnock missed another chance to become Championship leaders.
After a 0-0 stalemate away to Dunfermline on Saturday, the Rugby Park side remained second on goal difference behind Arbroath, who also drew on Saturday.
And with just nine games left, time is running out for the Ayrshire side to establish a lead at the top.
But one shining light for McInnes is that they still have to bring their two main title rivals, the Lichties and Partick Thistle, to Rugby Park in two clashes that could define where the league trophy ends up.
McInnes said: “We have not lost ground but it’s another week gone and another missed opportunity.
“That’s three times we’ve had chances to top the league since I’ve been here and we’ve not managed to take any of them.
“It is important you are top of the league at the end of the season and we’ll keep working towards that.”
The first half was effectively a non-event. The only decent chance was a set-piece from Killie’s Fraser Murray that forced a save from Jakub Stolarczyk.
Both sides picked up in the second period, but again nothing too much came in terms of clear-cut chances.
Jason Naismith had an effort from distance stopped by Stolarczyk, but the best chance of the clash fell to Efe Ambrose eight minutes from time.
Former Killie star Dom Thomas fired in a teasing free-kick, and then Ambrose popped up to volley from six yards out, but it came back off the crossbar.
Thomas then fired a shot wide from the edge of the area and Stolarczyk saved again as Declan Glass tried his luck.
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