Any team with genuine hopes of lifting the title must always exhibit the proper home form to match their aspirations.

Fraser Fyvie, the Dundee United skipper, is suitably aware of such requirements and has issued a challenge to his team-mates to transform Tannadice into something resembling a fortress in order for them to fulfil their underlying ambition.

Fyvie spoke out in the wake of Saturday's draw with bottom-club Partick Thistle when he rescued a point for the Taysiders with a 62nd minute penalty, the highlight of a much-improved second-half effort which was triggered largely by the introduction of new signing Aidan Nesbitt, who injected the kind of spark they'd been crying out for prior to his arrival.

Fyvie feels Robbie Neilson's Ladbrokes Championship hopefuls have lacked a necessary mean streak on home soil up until now, and that failing was in evidence again in this latest set-back against Gary Caldwell's visitors who're currently haunted by the spectre of relegation.

For all they've steadied matters since Neilson replaced former manager Csaba Laszlo at the helm, United have amassed just one win in their last six league outings and are preparing to have their credentials tested once more when Dunfermline visit Tayside this weekend.

This was certainly one of those missed opportunities. They did succeed in closing the gap on league leaders Ross County to six points following their defeat at Morton on Friday night as well as moving closer to Ayr United who suffered a surprising loss at home to Falkirk, but failure to capitalise altogether left their captain slightly exasperated.

"Look, if we want to have any intent of challenging Ross County and Ayr United to win the league then we need to start scoring goals and winning games," stated Fyvie.

"It’s obvious, it’s as simple as that. We need to be winning football games.

"It would also help to turn Tannadice into a fortress. Home form is crucial if you want to win leagues and we let the fans down a little bit here.

"They were getting on our backs - quite rightly so. But we should have won the game with our second-half performance. We were just not clinical enough.

"If you want to go up you have to dig in and win games. We’ve drawn 1-1 but we need to win these games.

"Teams have dropped points and we have dropped points too and we are six points off Ross County. But I think the league will go right to the wire.

‘Everyone can beat everyone in this league so you can’t write any team off."

Neilson's promotion hopefuls only came to life when former Celtic and MK Dons attacker Nesbitt - who also previously spent a spell on loan at Thistle - entered proceedings after the break, and Sean McGinty's foul on him won the spot-kick which Fyvie duly converted, cancelling out Kris Doolan's ninth minute headed opener.

Fyvie is an admirer of the talented 21-year-old, and is convinced he can become an influential presence in their quest for promotion.

"When he came on he made a difference," reflected Fyvie.

“He got into good positions in between their midfield and their back four.

"He hurt them on a few occasions and he could have scored two himself.

“But to be fair to the lad he’s not played in months so we can’t be hard on him.

"He’s been brilliant in training and he showed his quality in areas where you can hurt teams. He will be a great addition to the squad.

"You always do need to strengthen in a window and a change of face for the fans gives them a lift."

This, on the other hand, was a bitter-sweet kind of day for Thistle who couldn't possibly have played much better but still reverted to the foot of the Championship courtesy of Falkirk's victory on their travels.

Steven Saunders, one of their news signings who acquitted himself admirably on his debut, is relishing their scrap for survival, which takes centre-stage next week when they meet relegation rivals Falkirk at Firhill.

The former Scotland star strolled through his debut for the Jags on Tayside and admits he can't wait to try to help haul Caldwell's men - who far resembled a team languishing in the doldrums against one with much loftier ambitions - to safety.

"That’s what you want to be a footballer for," said Saunders.

"You want to play in big games and with the situation we find ourselves in, every game is massive, especially against Falkirk who had a good win against Ayr.

"It’s something to look forward to. Hopefully we can start climbing the league."