Despite a home humbling by Ayr United on Friday night, Dundee United have something to cheer today after a Player-and Manager-of-the-Month double.
Until the Honest Men romped to the 5-0 victory at Tannadice, the Tangerines had enjoyed a 100% record with victories over Queen of the South, Ross County and Alloa last month.
Friday night was the first blemish on Robbie Neilson’s report card since taking over six weeks ago but that hasn’t prevented the SPFL naming him Ladbrokes Championship Manager of the Month.
And he’s been joined by Fraser Aird on the award list with the Canadian being November’s Player of the Month.
Aird notched against Alloa last week for his third of the season and brought his assist tally into double-figures last month with a total of 10 in 14 games.
Meanwhile, Steven Ferguson believes Ross County’s patience paid off as Keith Watson’s late winner snatched victory over stubborn Alloa.
The Staggies were under pressure to keep pace with leaders Ayr after the Honest Men thumped Dundee United 5-0 on Friday night.
But they ensured the two-point deficit on the table-toppers was maintained as they struck at the death to clinch a 1-0 win at the Indodrill Stadium.
Watson’s goal in the first minute of stoppage time was a huge relief to co-managers Ferguson and Stuart Kettlewell.
Ferguson said: “We couldn’t influence anything on Friday night. Stuart and I were both there on Friday and Ayr were fantastic.
“But the one thing we could influence was our game. We had to be patient as we didn’t expect the game to go any other way.
“We’d have liked to have scored earlier and made it easier for ourselves but it never happens like that at Alloa and this game was another example of that.”
Inverness missed the chance to cut the gap on United as they were also sunk at home by an injury-time winner.
John Robertson’s men looked set for a draw as strikes from Tom Walsh and George Oakley cancelled out Zak Rudden’s brace for Falkirk.
But Scott Harrison bundled home from a Paul Paton free-kick to lift Ray McKinnon’s side off bottom spot and end Caley Thistle’s 25-game unbeaten league run.
Partick Thistle now prop up the table after Stephen Dobbie’s 29th goal of the season handed Queen of the South victory at Palmerston.
Meanwhile, goals from Aidan Keena, Faisal El Bakhtaoui and James Craigen handed Dunfermline just their second home league win of the campaign as they swept Morton aside 3-0.