The weather was miserable but the majority of faces leaving Dens Park on Wednesday night were anything but.
There is a spring in the step of everyone associated with Dundee right now.
The club are up to fifth in the Premiership and have won their last two home matches 4-1.
Ten points from the last 15 available is their best run of the campaign to date – and there is more to come from this team, too.
Courier Sport took in the big win over Motherwell and picked out some key talking points.
Star boys
There were plenty of good performances on show on Wednesday night amid the dreich December weather.
Scott Tiffoney deserves a mention in an unfamiliar position as left wing-back, Jordan McGhee ticking along very well and Mo Sylla, too, showed more attacking ambition than ever before.
But the night belonged to the two No 10s – Lyall Cameron and Seun Adewumi.
It was Adewumi who kicked the night off and Cameron who finished it.
Burnley youngster Adewumi is emerging as the Premiership’s hidden gem.
It has taken time for him to adjust to moving from Austria to Dundee, via Burnley.
Now, though, we can see a fleet-footed attacker intent on doing some damage in this league before his deal is up in January.
He was just too good for the Motherwell defence and fired in a superb opening goal – taking a practice drill from the training ground into where it matters.
Cameron, meanwhile, is growing into a serious Premiership contender.
He got five goals last season, he’s already on seven this term after a double on what was his 99th Dundee appearance.
Cameron is also high in the top-flight assist list – equal fourth alongside old mucker Luke McCowan and Wednesday opponent Lennon Miller.
And up against his former Scotland U/21 team-mate it was Cameron coming out on top again – his fifth goal against the Steelmen in five matches.
Luke who?
It was notable Tony Docherty brought up his old captain’s name when asked about Lyall Cameron’s performance.
“We’ve lost experienced players, including Luke McCowan, and we’ve needed players to step up to the plate,” the Dundee boss said.
“Lyall is certainly doing that, he’s taken real responsibility and he’s proving his worth.”
Cameron is certainly at the forefront of that. However, it does feel like this young Dundee team are now figuring out how to cope without McCowan.
Immediately after McCowan’s departure for Celtic, the Dark Blues picked up just one draw from the next five matches.
In the last five they’ve grabbed 10 points and scored 13 goals in the process.
Jon McCracken
Plenty – including this writer – were expecting Trevor Carson to resume his place in the Dundee goal on Wednesday night, despite Jon McCracken’s impressive show at Kilmarnock.
But no, Docherty stuck with the younger man.
Suddenly, after a tough spell, McCracken is playing with real confidence.
He made a string of saves at Kilmarnock and stepped things up even more in this one.
He could do with his defence protecting him a little better but McCracken’s performance was just as important as Adewumi and Cameron at the other end.
And quite possibly his strongest yet in a Dundee shirt.
No question who has the gloves for Tynecastle.
Stuart Kettlewell
Motherwell were not happy with the goal that put Dundee 2-1 up through Scott Tiffoney.
A head knock should mean putting the ball out. Kofi Balmer was down after a coming together in the area.
Jordan McGhee had an arm on him but it was not enough to earn a penalty as ’Well boss Kettlewell wanted.
And in reality you can’t blame Dundee nor John Beaton for not stopping the game when the home side burst clear that quickly – it took 14 seconds from McCracken’s catch to Tiffoney finding the net at the other end.
Bigger questions for Kettlewell are why one of his players played four Dundee men onside and why his team collapsed over the next seven minutes.
This incident was not where the game was won or lost – Dundee were much more clinical with their chances and that’s what made the difference.
Conversation