Aberdeen 0 Hearts 1

Premiership runners-up Aberdeen crashed to only their second home defeat of the season after going down 1-0 to third-placed Hearts at Pittodrie.

Abiola Dauda's second-half strike separated the teams as the Jambos defeated the Dons for the second time in a matter of weeks.

Aberdeen came into the match with the aim of bettering last season's points tally, knowing wins over Robbie Neilson's team and then Ross County on Sunday would beat last year's haul of 75.

They handed a first start to Scott McKenna, the young defender taking the place of Mark Reynolds, who dropped down to the bench following Sunday's 3-2 defeat against Celtic.

Hearts, who beat Aberdeen 2-1 at home last month, also took the opportunity to blood a rookie with Jack Hamilton deputising for Neil Alexander in goal.

The hosts started on the front foot and Kenny McLean clipped a teasing ball across goal, which just evaded Graeme Shinnie.

In the 25th minute, the Dons were awarded a free-kick just outside the box when Juwon Oshaniwa brought down Willo Flood but Niall McGinn was unable to keep his curling effort down.

Hearts threatened in the 34th minute when Callum Paterson, buoyed by a first Scotland call-up, fizzed a low cross across the face of goal. The ball was cleared as far as Prince Buaben and the former Dundee United midfielder's 20-yard effort, which took a deflection, was tipped behind for a corner by Adam Collin.

As half-time approached, Aberdeen full-back Shay Logan cut inside on to his left foot but his shot from distance was comfortably dealt with by Hamilton.

Early in the second half, Jonny Hayes dragged a shot wide before Dauda spurned a good opportunity for the visitors.

Dauda outmuscled Ash Taylor on the right side of the box and although the angle was against him, the striker should have hit the target from 10 yards out.

Just before the hour mark, McGinn went close to breaking the deadlock, bending a 16-yard effort just wide of the upright after the Dons did well to keep alive a Hayes corner.

But it was Hearts who made the decisive breakthrough in the 64th minute from a free-kick.

Alim Ozturk's powerful drive from 25 yards was parried by Collin and Dauda reacted first to prod home the rebound.

Aberdeen, without injured strikers Adam Rooney and Simon Church, were lightweight in attack as they chased a leveller but Hearts comfortably saw the match out with minimal fuss.