Aberdeen look to have finally turned a corner under head coach Stephen Robinson, with three positive road trips putting a fresh spin on their season.
It remains early days and there will undoubtedly be more bumps along the way, but the Dons had not won a Premiership game away from home since December before their recent run.
Robinson and his players gave the long-suffering Red Army something to celebrate with a four-goal thumping at Motherwell, then backed that up with a point at Easter Road. Edinburgh, on both sides of the city, had become a place where Aberdeen have struggled to pick up points in recent seasons.
Cup quarter-final success at Kilmarnock
There was also the gutsy Premier Sports Cup quarter-final win at Kilmarnock. Aberdeen went down to 10 men but managed to take the tie to penalties. They were the better team in extra-time and eventually saw it through.
Those three away trips have put a more positive spin on Aberdeen's season. They sit just five points off third place, having already faced all of last season's top five. Aberdeen can also look forward to a Hampden return when they face Rangers next month in the semi-final of the Premier Sports Cup.
Turnaround after toxic Pittodrie night
There is now a lot more positivity around Pittodrie, an almighty turnaround from how things looked at the start of the month. Robinson and his Aberdeen team were booed off the park after a 0-0 draw with Kilmarnock, who were bottom of the table and had not kept a Premiership clean sheet.
The final whistle was pretty toxic at Pittodrie, with boos ringing round all four stands. Robinson was in the centre of the storm as he took it in the neck. His players got a similar response from those who walked around the deserted stands to show their appreciation for those who had stayed until the bitter end.
The Aberdeen manager came into the post-match press conference looking visibly drained. He accepted the criticism from the fans and acknowledged that what they had all witnessed was not good enough.
Reaction points the way forward
Many Aberdeen fans expected to win that match after a challenging start to their Premiership campaign. Things had started positively with the opening day win over Hearts, but after that it was blow after blow as they lost at Dundee, to Rangers and Celtic.
The Kilmarnock game was seen as the one match where Aberdeen could get points on the board. In the end it was a solitary point, and it could have been even less if Killie had more of a cutting edge. There were positives, even small ones, but try telling the Dons support after that game.
The Killie game was probably one they would have lost in previous seasons. There was nothing Robinson and his players could do. It was all about the reaction, and they got the right one. It was not really a surprise, as Robinson is a fighter and always has been. He has fought hard to get to where he is today.
Robinson knows that regardless of what he does, there are going to be some fans he will not win over. He admitted that at his unveiling. Some supporters dismiss his style of football, and there have been moans as he has gone back to a 3-5-2 formation.
It has worked and got results. Robinson will want to play more expansive football, but before that he knows he needs to get results and build confidence within his squad in the short-term. It will be a case of building from there.
The Northern Irishman has a proven track record in the Premiership with Motherwell and St Mirren. He took both sides into Europe and lifted the Premier Sports Cup with the Buddies. He deserved the chance at a club with a bigger budget, and he has earned this opportunity. Robinson has got his Aberdeen side moving in the right direction. Now it is about ensuring they keep their foot flat to the floor when they come back out of the international break.
