Dundee and Kilmarnock fought out an uninspiring goalless draw at Dens Park.

Both sides struggled to produce any real football of note and although there was plenty of effort, there were precious few clear-cut chances.

The only real talking point was Lee Wilkie's sending off in the second half for a professional foul on Kilmarnock substitute Craig Dargo.

Apart from that, there was little goalmouth action although Ally McCoist came closest for the visitors on a couple of occasions.

There had been a bright start to the game as both sides were apparently intent on all-out attack.

There was an early scare for the visitors in the fifth minute when Dundee full-back Barry Smith swung over a dangerous cross from the right, but Fredric Dindeleux headed clear with Willie Falconer ready to pounce.

Most of Dundee's attacks were coming down the right-hand side where Alessandro Romano and Javier Artero were linking well.

The first shot of the game came in the 12th minute when Romano tried his luck from the edge of the box, but the effort was weak and easily saved by Gordon Marshall in the Kilmarnock goal.

At the other end, veteran striker McCoist came close with a header from a Gus McPherson cross.

The ball looked to be going in low at the near post, but Dundee keeper Robert Douglas reacted quickly to save.

As the first half progressed neither side could gain the upper hand and both sets of attackers were finding it difficult to create space against two tight-marking defences.

After 27 minutes McCoist again latched on to a cross, this time from Ian Durrant, but his header went wide.

Five minutes from the break, Artero worked well down the right and sent in a dangerous cross only to find none of his team-mates had backed him up and the chance was gone.

It was the visitors who were the first to threaten after the break.

With only a minute gone, Gary Hay surged towards goal, worked a one-two with McCoist and drove the ball from the edge of the box - but the effort lacked power and the ball trundled harmlessly towards Douglas.

From then on, the game began to deteriorate and both sides were guilty of slack play with possession being surrendered far too easily.

That said, Gary Holt went close with a shot from 14 yards after 56 minutes which beat Douglas, but slid agonisingly past the right-hand post.

The home side on the other hand were struggling to create even a half-chance and their fans began to growl in frustration.

Eventually Dundee forced their way into the Kilmarnock box, but Dindeleux again was on hand to block a Shaun McSkimming cross as Romano waited to cash in.

Dundee were reduced to 10 men with 22 minutes left when Lee Wilkie was sent off for a professional foul.

Dargo was racing clear when the big centre-half bundled him off the ball on the edge of the Dundee box.

The referee had no option but to produce a red card and Dundee had to rearrange their team quickly.

Kilmarnock sensed the game was there to be won and forced the home side into some desperate defending.

McCoist had a half chance with three minutes to go, but under pressure from Dundee defenders he blasted the ball over the bar.

In the end Dundee held on for the point, although once again their disciplinary record will be called into question.