Lee Clark managed to get a vital point in his first Scottish Premiership game in charge of Kilmarnock thanks to his goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald.
The home side had the best of the first half but failed to convert any of the chances they created before they appeared to run out of steam. Once again they had MacDonald to thank for keeping them in the game.
It is a game that Dundee will feel they should have won as they had the better chances, but could not find a way past the outstanding MacDonald, and the game finished 0-0.
Clark made only one enforced change to the Kilmarnock side that lined up against Rangers in midweek bringing in Kevin McHattie at full-back for the injured Stevie Smith while Dundee were unchanged from their victory over St Johnstone.
The change in the dugout seemed to give the home side fresh motivation as they showed great energy and enthusiasm in the goal-less first half. Josh Magennis almost gave his new boss the perfect start but his touch from a tight angle beat Scott Bain but did not carry enough pace and was cleared off the line.
Magennis and Conrad Balatoni had further chances before Bain produced a brilliant save to stop Craig Slater's deflected free kick finding the net.
Dundee's only sight of goal came on the half-hour mark when Greg Stewart's break forward teed up Rory Loy, but Killie full back Lee Hodson made a crucial block to send the ball narrowly over.
Dundee were more purposeful after the interval with Hodson producing a last-ditch tackle to prevent Kane Hemmings scoring his 15th goal in 15 games and MacDonald had to be at his best to block Paul McGowan's shot.
MacDonald produced an even better save throwing himself to his left to claw the ball away denying Hemmings after another swift Dundee counter attack.
After all Kilmarnock's early pressure, they became increasingly nervous and it was the visitors who looked in control and more likely to secure a victory. Clark had suggested that Killie's fitness could be improved, and his side certainly lacked the intensity off the ball in the second half that they displayed in the first.
Dundee's centre-backs almost combined to score the vital goal in the 90th minute as Darren O'Dea found space at the far post and nodded the ball across for Thomas Konrad, but his header drifted inches past.
Source: PA
