Dundee Utd 0 Aberdeen 2

Aberdeen moved level with Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership thanks to two first half goals from Adam Rooney at Tannadice.

Rooney struck in 19 and 34 minutes to give Derek McInnes' side a lead which they were never going to give up as it moved them joint third in the table with Jackie McNamara's off-form United team.

Rooney is now on 17 goals for the season after some poor goal-keeping from United's Radoslaw Cierzniak.

The Dons made a bright start as they looked in the mood to make up for their 3-0 loss to United at Pittodrie back on the first day of the campaign.

Niall McGinn had a 22-yard effort which deflected off Paul Paton before going out for a corner.

But the visitors deservedly went ahead in the 19th minute.

Hayes played a short free-kick to McGinn whose cross was met by Goodwillie and his free header was parried by Cierzniak.

It should have been saved by the Polish keeper but he spilled it and Rooney was there to make it 1-0 with a simple finish.

Rooney then had an opportunity to grab his second after 22 minutes.

Goodwillie released him, putting him clean through on goal with the United defence trailing, but Rooney dragged his left-foot shot wide of Cierzniak's far post.

Just minutes later United should have been back on level terms.

Erskine found himself through one-on-one with Dons keeper Scott Brown from Stuart Armstrong's ball over the top.

But as Brown advanced off his line, Erskine contrived to hit it right at the Dons keeper when he ought to have equalised in front of the Dons fans.

They were made to pay for that glaring miss when, after 34 minutes, Aberdeen extended their lead which few could begrudge them.

Peter Pawlett skillfully took the ball down and teed up defender Andrew Considine who, in turn, crossed for Rooney who was in acres of space to finish all alone at the far post from just a matter of yards.

There was no holding back the visitors now. McGinn came within inches of making it 3-0 as he latched onto Considines' deep cross with the aid of a flick by Pawlett, but he saw his rasping shot crack the inside of the post as it ran along the goal-line before finally going to safety.

It was the visitors who still looked more likely to score after the break, with Goodwillie carving out a chance for himself on the hour mark, only to see his effort from an acute angle go over the top.

United tried hard to pull things back but Pawlett had a chance for the Dons to further stretch Aberdeen's lead in 79 minutes, but this time Cierzniak did well to thwart him with a diving save.

• Aberdeen