Kano Pillars' unbeaten start to the NPFL campaign came to an abrupt end on Sunday as Plateau United demolished Daniel Ogunmodede's side 4-0 at the New Jos Stadium.
The result, coming on matchday eight, was the Sai Masu Gida's first defeat of the season after a run of seven games without loss that had included two wins and five draws.
Paul Samson, Ekundayo Ojo, Samuel Ayanrinde and Nenrot Silas all found the net for the home side, leaving Kano Pillars with plenty to work on before their next outing.
Plateau United's technical adviser, Gbenga Ogunbote, was quick to temper the celebrations in his own camp rather than dwell on his opponents' struggles, insisting the job is far from done. "The league is a marathon, we won't allow it to get into our heads. This is just one out of the 38 matches we are going to play this season," he told reporters after the match.
Ogunbote added, "But it is a good one for us, but I can assure that the supporters too will be happy at the end of the season," a reminder that Plateau United still have a long road ahead despite the emphatic scoreline.
For Kano Pillars, the heavy loss in Jos will sting, especially given how resilient the side had looked in recent weeks, grinding out draws against the likes of Enyimba, Sporting Lagos and Inter Lagos.
Fans will now be hoping Ogunmodede can quickly identify what went wrong defensively and get the team back on track when they return to the Sani Abacha Stadium to host Katsina United on matchday nine, October 18.
Plateau United, meanwhile, will carry their momentum into a home clash with Sporting Lagos in their next fixture.