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Stalemate Dundee and Inverness shared the points in an even encounter at the Kilmac Stadium in Dundee. Carl Tremarco came closest to breaking the deadlock, hitting the base of the post with a deflected shot in the first half and Jamie McCart headed narrowly past for the visitors after the break. John Robertson had Jordan White on the bench alongside Nikolay Todorov as he freshened up the attack with Miles Storey starting as striker. Dundee had new signing Kane Hemmimgs on from the start beside Danny Johnson. Handyman Josh Meekings was on the bench. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Speaking on BBC Sport Dundee manager James McPake: "I think it was a disappointing afternoon, we were well off where we were last week against Aberdeen. "There is a really good squad of players in there that we believe we should be a lot more consistent. I certainly need to find a way to get this right. "The concern is that we need to live up to the expectations of these fans, they need to see a team out on that park that is winning week in week out, we need to find a way to get that." Inverness CT manager John Robertson: "This is where I have got to praise Dundee and Dundee United. They have never said it is going to be a two-horse race, other people have said it - pundits, radio, TV, newspapers. They should be with the quality of players they are bringing in, the money they are able to spend, backed by a really vociferous home support, both teams, a tremendous crowd for Dundee, and they will take that away from home as well so you would expect them to be up there and they will, I don't think there is any doubt about that. "But I think the likes of ourselves, Dunfermline, Morton, Partick, Queen of the South, Alloa, Arbroath etc, everybody else in the league, we are not going to make it easy for them, we are going to fight tooth and nail." OFFICIAL REPORT ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In the second minute James Keatings headed high over the bar with James Vincent looking better placed to nod on target as the visitors made their intentions clear. Aaron Doran brought a great one handed save from Jamie Hamilton after he fashioned out a shooting opportunity from 25 yards, dipping his shoulder to ghost past a couple of defenders before firing low to the keepers left. Mark Ridgers stooped to gather a Finlay Robertson effort from inside the box as the Dark Blues responded. Forster did well on the left and his cross looked dangerous before Ridgers punched the loose ball away. Dundee picked it up again though and Paul McGowan drove just over the bar from distance. A Declan McDaid free kick had to be tipped over the bar as he shot from around thirty yards, the big keeper watching it closely. A Keatings corner to the front post was met by Carl Tremarco and his low stab at the ball seemed to take a deflection onto the base of the post and behind for another corner. From the second corner Coll Donaldson headed narrowly over with the aid of a deflection off Forster. Just before the break an opportunity for both sides to break the deadlock. Tidy play by Dundee saw Kane Hemmings released on the left side of the box but he dragged his low shot across the face of the goal and at the opposite end Doran flashed a shot high and wide as the half ended, and it remained goalless at the interval. Half Time 0-0 We started the second forty-five where we left off and Tom Walsh was blocked six yards out as he tried to get his shot away. From the resultant throw in, we worked the ball back across the park and Doran picked up the loose ball on the edge of the box. Unfortunately his powerful drive was a tad too high over the junction of bar and post. Miles Storey had a great opportunity as he broke clear on the left but like Hemmings previously, he shot early and dragged it just wide, the ball trickling past a scrambling Hamilton's left hand post. From a Keatings free kick into the box, the ball bobbled around before Jamie McCart took control of it and as he skipped over some legs he dinked a wee chip towards the back post that saw Hamilton relieved to see the ball drift just wide. That brought about aa vociferous round of boo's from the home fans who were not impressed by their team being opened up so easily. Ten minutes to go and Hemmings rose unchallenged in the box but his looping header dipped over the bar with Ridgers watching anxiously. A tremendous run from Shaun Rooney saw him bludgeon his way through two or three bodies before Forster unceremoniously brought him down to earn a booking. From the free kick McCart saw his free kick deflected wide as Inverness pushed for a winner. Doran's corner was met by McCart but his glancing header went agonisingly wide and as time ticked away a long ball forward from MotM McCart was well controlled by substitute Nikolay Todorov but his parting shot took a slight deflection as it flashed past the post. From the corner Jordan White headed goalward but he got no purchase on the ball and Hamilton grasped it. In time added on White almost won the game after Doran stood up a cross into the penalty area. White rose to meet it but his header was just wide of the top corner with Hamilton flying across his goal helplessly. Much better performance than the league cup defeat at the same ground and Inverness were able to create the better opportunities and will justifiably feel pleased with their contribution. Plenty of opportunities for both sides and neither manager could be too despondent with a point apiece. Caley Stan is feeling much more positive after watching the game........ "The highlights are a bit flattering but we definitely created the better chances, especially in the last 10 to 15 minutes. A very obvious change in style without a target man and even when we brought the big guys on it was to get the ball out wide and put crosses in rather than hitting it long early. None of our front 4 really got into their stride in this game - Keatings in particular was disappointing, but Robbo had the options on the bench to change it - something we didn't have at all for most of last season. The midfield 2 had a much better balance and McCart stood out at the back. Overall, even though it wasn't a great performance, I left feeling more positive about the season ahead than I did beforehand." Date: 24/08/2019 Venue: Dens Park (Kilmac) Attendance: 5016 Referee: David Munro Dundee: 0 Lineup: Hamilton, Kerr, Forster, McGhee, Marshall, Byrne, McGowan (Todd 54), Robertson (Nelson 68), McDaid, Hemmings, Johnson (McPake 60) Subs (not used): Ferrie; Meekings, Moore, Anderson Scorers: none Booked: Robertson (62), Forster (86) Sent Off: none Inverness CT: 0 Lineup: Ridgers; Rooney, Donaldson, McCart, Tremarco, Doran, Carson, Vincent, Walsh (Todorov 85), Keatings (MacGregor 71), Storey (White 70) Subs (not used): C Mackay, Harper, McHattie, Welsh. Scorers: none Booked: Donaldson (32), Storey (67) Sent Off: none a