Aberdeen 2 Ross County 1
Aberdeen bounced back with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Ross County after their heavy midweek defeat at the hands of Celtic.
Michael Gardyne gave the visitors an unexpected early lead, but a Ryan Christie thunderbolt quickly levelled matters and Kenny McLean's penalty early in the second half earned them the points.
It was the visitors who opened the scoring, Gardyne's speculative 30-yard effort swerving wickedly and catching out Dons goalkeeper Joe Lewis, squirming under the body of the goalkeeper and into the bottom corner.
The lead was short-lived as Christie smashed home from 15 yards just three minutes later, finding the top-left corner after a neat move which saw the on-loan Celtic man exchange passes with Stevie May.
And it was nearly 2-1 five minutes later as a tidy move down the left, sparked by Scott Wright's quick throw-in, saw McLean flash a low strike across the face of goal from 20 yards.
The Dons were put to the sword by Celtic's speed and intensity in midweek, and at times they threatened to do the same to County, a flowing move from one side of the pitch to the other seeing Graeme Shinnie nearly catch out Aaron McCarey in the County goal.
However, they looked a little nervous at the back, and when Scott McKenna slipped in the area, Lewis had to be quick off his line to block from Craig Curran.
The ex-Peterborough man was tested again by Gardyne following a Jason Naismith cross after 27 minutes, but he held on well.
At the other end, McCarey was at full-stretch to palm away a powerful McLean drive and Christie passed up a golden opportunity just before the break. Scott Wright's cross found him at the back post, but he contrived to turn wide from three yards.
Aberdeen did go in front, from the penalty spot, after 52 minutes. Jamie Lindsay brought down Shinnie as the latter tried to get onto Greg Stewart's reverse pass, and Don Robertson had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
McLean was the coolest man in Pittodrie as he stepped up to slot past McCarey. And they were unlucky not to put daylight between the sides as Christie had a dig from 25 yards which evaded McCarey, only to crash back off the crossbar.
They passed up another great chance after 78 minutes as Nicky Maynard squeezed a ball across the box for fellow sub Adam Rooney, only for the usually ruthless Irishman to completely miss his kick from just six yards.