Vicko Sevelj left the field at Tannadice nursing a stinging cut on his forehead.
However, the pain of his collision with Simon Murray paled in comparison to the agony of Dundee United’s dismal collapse against their fiercest foes.
However, time heals all wounds – and not just the one caused by his derby day head knock.
Twelve days have passed since the nadir of the Terrors’ campaign and – refreshed and determined to make amends for the 4-2 reverse – the Tangerines are hungry to register a stirring response against Ross County on Sunday.
After all, the rewards are still manifold for this group; just three points adrift of third-placed Hibs. Top six football is still a realistic goal. One Sevelj firmly believes United can attain.
“It is such a bad feeling to know you must wait a fortnight for the opportunity to put things right,” the versatile Croatian told Courier Sport. “I wanted the next game to be the next day! We wanted to play again, and to play much better.
“But we have Ross County away – and three games before the split – and I believe that we will get that top six place.
“Our form is not the best, but I can promise that we will give 100% in every training and every game to fix that. That is what we have done all season, and I still have belief that everything will be fine in the end.”
Sevelj: Result more painful than head knock
Reflecting on the second-half knock against Dundee that made its mark, Sevelj added: “I headbutted someone – I don’t know who – but there was no pain. The result hurt so much more!
“It was the toughest match for me. The result didn’t go our way, and the first half was not good; that is maybe the nicest way I can say it.
“The toughest thing was that the game wasn’t about Dundee, at all. It was that some things we did were not on our usual level that we have showed this season. But we hope to show a response and get three points in our next game.”
And Sevelj is acutely aware of the need to give supporters something to cheer about following the humbling sight of the delirious Dee faithful toasting their triumph at Tannadice.
While a Sunday afternoon kick-off in Dingwall is not ideal for the travelling fans, United will still be vociferously backed in the Highlands.
And Sevelj added: “I wasn’t feeling bad about the Dundee fans celebrating – I was feeling bad about what it meant to our supporters because they have been brilliant this season, and they didn’t deserve that result.
“It was bad. In the end there was a big disappointment and anger about the performance and result. When you play for Dundee United, you are also a supporter of the club. So, you can feel it. It means a lot to us, too.
“Getting back to winning ways is the only way we can celebrate with them again.”
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