Unless you're embroiled in a frenzied relegation scrap, plodding away until the end of the season in the bottom six after the split can be a fairly hum-drum existence. Let’s face it, no manager ever starts the campaign by declaring ‘we want to finish seventh’. If that’s the highest you can finish, though, then being the best of rest is all you can aim for. A Kane Hemmings brace took his haul to 25 for the season and gave Dundee all three points as they moved clear of Partick Thistle in the scramble to be top of the Scottish Premiership's rank-and-file. Hemmings is far from your run-of-the-mill striker, of course. His prolific tally will have opened the eyes of those clubs looking for a profitable poacher. The 24-year-old’s link up play with his equally impressive team-mate, Greg Stewart, continues to bear fruit and could see Paul Hartley, the Dundee manager, trying to stave off the advances of those keen to nab two of his most prized assets.

“Strikers are hard to come by and he’s been phenomenal in a team that’s middle of the road just now,” said Hartley, who travelled to Glasgow with only 15 players on the team bus. “If someone is scoring that amount of goals they will attract interest. You’re always concerned but there’s not much you can do about speculation. He’s got two years left and we want to keep him. Greg has got a year left and we have started early talks. We desperately want to keep him too but the lad has ambitions. He knows he’s loved here and he enjoys his football here.”

The last time these two sides met at Firhill back in January, the Dundee troops came charging out of the tunnel with all guns blazing and blasted their way into a 3-0 after just 15 minutes en route to a 4-2 win. In that respect, the fact the opening spell passed without any breaches in the rearguard was something of a success for the hosts. Indeed, it was Thistle who were the more purposeful outfit in those early to-ings and fro-ings. Kris Doolan could only swipe a timorous volley into the clutches of Scott Bain while Ryan Edwards, taking a Lawless dink on his chest as he bounded through, saw his prod from close range blocked by Bain.

It was sprightly stuff but, out of the dark blue, Dundee almost pinched the lead themselves on 16 minutes only for Gary Harkins to shank a glorious opportunity high and wide from just six yards.

After that fairly lively period, things settled down a bit. Or in other words, got slightly boring. The match was injected with renewed vigour on 34 minutes, though, with a neatly engineered opener from Dundee. Stewart released Paul McGinn out on the right and his low ball across the goal was thumped into the roof of the net by the lurking Hemmings to give the visitors a half-time advantage.

Both sides seemed keen to get cracking in the second period. The only problem was that referee, Nick Walsh, and his assistants were still enjoying a blether over tea and biscuits in the changing rooms as the players twiddled their thumbs on the pitch. In your own time boys. Proceedings eventually resumed and Thistle almost restored parity when Doolan’s bobbling, low trundler was patted round the post by Bain.

At the other end, Stewart pounced on some Thistle defensive plooterings only for Ryan Scully to spread himself like a medieval banquet and make a fine block. The importance of that intervention would be highlighted on 70 minutes as Thistle levelled. Osman’s cross was met by Doolan who headed the ball past Bain.

Cue a rousing home assault? Not quite. Dundee had other ideas as they upped the ante in the last knockings. Stewart plonked one wide when in a good position before Hemmings seized on a deflection and saw his shot saved by Scully. He had better luck with 10 minutes to go. A terrific through ball from Stewart picked up Hemmings’ clever run and the Dundee striker slipped a neat finish through the legs of Scully.

Thistle had one last chance to salvage a point in stoppage time but David Amoo could only blast his shot over when composure was required.

Dundee are now unbeaten in seven league matches against Thistle since they returned to the top-tier in 2014. Finishing seventh is now in their hands. It’s not magnificent but it will do.