Those prophets of doom who pointed in the direction of Dingwall when asked to predict this season's prime Clydesdale Bank Premier League relegation candidates may be forced, even at this early stage, to reassess their thinking.
The division's most northerly staging post will host champions Celtic on Saturday as Ross County's players and their manager, Derek Adams, cling to the belief that they can extend their astonishing run of league results without defeat.
This was their 36th league game without defeat, a run going back to their opening-day loss in last season's Irn-Bru First Division.
If their display in securing a point at Pittodrie can be used as a barometer, it is evident that Adams has moulded a side capable of holding their own with the best in the land and, while they weathered an onslaught of Aberdeen attacks, particularly in the later stages of this absorbing game, they might have snatched victory, particularly if Martin Scott had held his nerve in front of goal rather than slice his shot wide when he burst into the penalty box early on.
Both Adams and Craig Brown, the Aberdeen manager, know the value of organised defences and the concentration required in that area of the park and, in Scott Boyd and Grant Munro, County have centre-backs as sound and secure as they come. Just ask Scott Vernon and Niall McGinn, who got little change from them before McGinn was stretchered off after damaging his ankle when contesting a high ball with Munro.
The SPL treadmill keeps turning, however, and Munro, rescued by County after Inverness Caledonian Thistle deemed him past his best a year ago, has already turned his thoughts to the visit of the Celtic.
The County trio of Munro, Russell Duncan and Ross Tokely were part of an Inverness squad which also went a year without league defeat.
"I scored at Parkhead for Caley Thistle," Munro said, "and that was a few weeks after we had clocked a year unbeaten. This is the second time I have been involved with a club that's gone a year undefeated. There must be something in the water in the Highlands. It is something to be proud of, it gives you confidence and it makes the goals look smaller for your opponents."
Aberdeen, fast and fluid in their attacks, frequently had their opponents on the back foot and Gavin Rae and Vernon will wonder how they failed to convert two glaring opportunities within a few feet of Michael Fraser's goal as their problem of last season – poor finishing – rumbles on.
Stephen Hughes's stood out in midfield, a measure perhaps of a full pre-season, missing from his game last season.
"I feel fitter this season," he insisted. "Last season was stop-start for me after I came up from Norwich and had a wee spell at Motherwell, but I still missed three or four months sitting in the house doing nothing.
"It's the first home game of the season and it is always hard, no matter who it is against.
"We just need to be consistent and we need to pick up a win in our next game so that, going into the next home match, the supporters will come back."
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