The vagaries of sporting fortune were sharply illustrated by what happened to Dundee at Dens on Saturday.
Paul Hartley’s side approached the Hearts game with their tails up following their 4-0 rout over Kilmarnock the week before, a result that made them the early Premiership league leaders.
It looked like the Dark Blues would carry on from where they left off at Rugby Park at home to the Jambos when they took an early lead and created several other good chances.
However, Hearts were a side transformed in the second-half and Dundee really had no answer once they had equalised and then took the lead.
The defeat was a bitterly-disappointing one from a Dark Blue perspective, possibly even more so because of the result and manner of victory against Killie.
One of the main men in that game, two-goal striker Rory Loy, missed the Jambos match because of a groin strain and he was a big loss with Hartley having to change his successful formation.
There is a doubt over Loy’s availability for tomorrow’s derby at Tannadice but what is certain is that the Dark Blues have to put sides to the sword when they are in the ascendant.
It was a harsh lesson learned against Hearts Hartley will be hoping it is one that has been taken on board.
However, just as one notable win didn’t mean that Dundee were suddenly world beaters, one defeat should not be the signal for gloom and doom.
It is a long season and one that has only just begun.