LIVINGSTON David Martindale joked that by 5.30pm this was a game everyone would have forgotten about. His opposite number, Derek McInnes, joked that it took three attempts to get here and then produced a fairly bland goalless draw.

There was little to write home about as Livingston continued their recent form under Martindale – that’s now 13 games without defeat for a team who had been dragged into the bottom end of the table back in October – with a draw a fair reflection of the 90 minutes.

Livingston had a ‘goal’ offside in the opening period and an appeal that the ball had crossed the line when Aberdeen keeper Joe Lewis scooped away a Scott Pittman effort at the back post, while just before that the Pittodrie side watched as Connor McLennan cannoned a header off the crossbar. Jonny Hayes ought to have scored when he collected a cutback from Matty Kennedy but, with only the keeper to beat, he skewered his shot well wide.

Martindale told his players the ball had crossed the line at the half-time break and didn’t allow the officials any respite as he sought to put them under a little bit of pressure. “I have been chirping in the ear of the linesman for the full game, telling him it was definitely in but I am not actually sure,” he confessed. “It was a difficult one. It is QTV and it is the same camera angle everyone has got. It is maybe in but you can see why he didn’t give it. Pitts has got to score, to be honest. He has got to get a cleaner strike on it. So I wouldn’t blame the officials.

“But that is 9 clean sheets in 13 games and they have to take a lot of pride in that because that is an incredible stat.”

Those first-half chances aside, there wasn’t much in the way of goalmouth action until a late flurry by both teams in the closing stages. Ross McCrorie could and should have scored when he collected a clever through ball from Ryan Hedges and nicked in behind the Livingston defence but lifted his effort wildly over the bar. Dons substitute Bruce Anderson headed wide from a Tommie Hoban cross in the final stages while Pittman had an effort pushed wide as the game drew to a close.

McInnes’ main concern before these teams meet again on Tuesday night is bolstering his squad with a loan deal. Sam Cosgrove is on the cusp of agreeing a £2m move to Birmigham and missed the game because he was in the Midlands finalising the switch while Curtis Main missed out because of injury. Scott Wright, who has agreed a pre-contract with Rangers, came off the bench for the last 11 minutes of the game.

The need for another forward is clear; this was Aberdeen’s second goalless draw in as many games and their fourth from the last right. Cosgrove will be a loss but the striker too could hardly have been said to have been prolific this season with just three goals this season.

Ross County’s Ross Stewart is wanted by McInnes but securing a deal for the player at this stage seems difficult. Scotland Under-21 cap Fraser Hornby from Reims is amongst the loan options for the Dons.

“It’s difficult,” said McInnes with regards to the lateness of the transfer window. “The January window is traditionally so hard to bring No. 9s in. Unless you’re spending money like Birmingham going for big Sam you very rarely get what you want. It’s tough.

“We’ve ran up a few cul-de-sacs chasing players. On Friday I spent more time concentrating on that than I was on the game because we’re all under a bit of pressure. We knew there was a chance Sam could have gone so ultimately we’re scrambling around trying to deal with it. I’m hopeful but we need help. It will be a loan. If we get one.”

There are just five points between Aberdeen and Celtic in second and third, albeit that the Parkhead side have played one game fewer than the Pittodrie side. McInnes, though, was wary of talking up the chances of catching the beleaguered Parkhead outfit.

“We need to fight with ourselves,” he said. “There have been some decent performances of late and today we’re disappointed we’ve not come away with three points against a team that always asks a question of you. We stood up to Livingston but we’re looking for a bit more quality to win the game.

“We’re only looking at ourselves, not Hibs or Celtic. We have to deal with our own business. But we need help to bring people in. And if we can get one or two in that will help matters.”