The frustration was palpable as St Mirren interim manager Craig McLeish summed up his side's latest heartbreak in a single phrase: "Another sore result."

His team dominated large stretches of their Scottish Premiership clash at Dens Park, but that familiar, nagging issue—a lack of firepower—came back to haunt them. A 1-0 defeat to Dundee left McLeish searching for answers after a performance that, on many levels, deserved more.

"I don't think we will have come here often and dominated so much of the game," McLeish told BBC Scotland. "It is sore for the boys. The boys have given everything."

In a season that has tested the squad's depth and resilience, McLeish revealed the toll the campaign has taken. "There are bodies hanging together there. There are bodies playing with pain and injuries and people playing when they probably shouldn't be playing," he admitted. "I can't ask any more of them."

But for all the grit and determination, the bottom line remains unchanged: goals have been elusive all season, and they proved elusive again. "It is the bit in the final third that we've been searching for all season and we're still searching for it—and that's the bit that can make the difference," McLeish said. "The way we are playing probably deserves more from what we are taking."

With the table tightening and pressure mounting, the manager acknowledged the stakes for their next fixture. "Next game [at home to Kilmarnock] was always going to be massive. We have to win now. We are up for the fight."

For St Mirren, the battle continues—not just for points, but for that elusive cutting edge that can turn dominant displays into victories. As any player or fan knows, style points don't show up on the scoreboard.