Aberdeen 1 - 0 Dundee

McInnes made two changes to the side that knocked Kilmarnock out of the Scottish Cup on penalties on Tuesday night. Chidi Nwakali came in for GMS, whilst Adam Rooney was replaced in the starting XI by Stevie May, who scored a brace the last time Dundee visited Pittodrie in a 2-1 victory in August.

The visitors got things underway and registered an early attempt through Rory Deacon in the first minute, but he dragged his effort well wide. The first 10 minutes were uneventful and fairly scrappy with the windy conditions clearly affecting both sides style of play.

Graeme Shinnie picked up the first yellow card of the game for a raised arm on Deacon. The Dons captain was late in the aerial battle with Deacon and caught the Dundee midfielder which referee William Collum deemed a bookable offence.

Dundee had the better of the half chances in the opening quarter with a few speculative long range efforts which didn?t trouble Woodman in goal.

The Dons nearly opened the scoring through Shay Logan who was making his 200th appearance for The Reds this afternoon. A ball into the penalty area was knocked back and dropped to Logan just inside the penalty area in acres of space. Logan fired his shot against his team mate Kenny McLean who was standing in front of the post on the goal line and was flagged for offside. Although Logan?s effort looked to be going wide regardless, it was a big let off for Dundee.

The visitors then had a golden chance to take the lead on the half hour mark. A-Jay Leitch-Smith found himself bearing down on Woodman?s goal after a long ball over the top, as The Dons defence looked for an offside flag that never came. Woodman spread himself well and stuck out a foot to deny Dundee the opener and keep the tie goalless.

Rory Deacon then had a free kick that clipped off the top of the bar. This gave the home side a wake up call and they began to up the ante.

They got their reward and the opening goal on 35 mins through captain Graeme Shinnie. Christie whipped in a ball from the right hand side which both McGinn and Dundee keeper Elliot Parish contested. The two collided and the ball fell kindly to Shinnie who merely had to steady himself and stroke home from 10 yards out to open the scoring.

The goal clearly gave the players a lift. McLean went close moments later with a long range effort that flew just over the keepers bar. The Dons continued to dominate both territory and possession and looked comfortable for the remainder of the first half, going in at half time with a deserved 1-0 lead.

The second half got underway in light snow and The Dons nearly doubled their lead inside 30 seconds, through Niall McGinn but the forward blazed his effort over.

Stevie May went close following a corner, the ball was fizzed into the striker but he could sort his feet in time and the ball ricocheted harmlessly into the keepers grasp.

A Dons second goal looked imminent and Ryan Christie nearly got it on 53 minutes. Parish could only parry Chidi?s long range shot out to Christie who was following up, but the keeper did well to recover and save the rebound. Although it was a good save Christie will feel disappointed that he didn?t hit the back of the net from that position.

The Dons won a couple of corners in quick succession as the game passed the hour mark. McGinn?s first was poor and didn?t beat the first man, his second was better and was met by McKenna. The defender got up well and found Considine but the left back could direct his backwards header on target.

McInnes made his first change on 71 minutes. Chidi was replaced by Greg Stewart who came on to face his former club. May went close again straight after the stoppage as Aberdeen looked for a second goal to kill the game. Christie did well to cut inside and slip May in with a nice reverse ball but his strike lacked the power and direction to beat Parish.

Aberdeen continued to dominate as the game entered the final ten minutes. However the visitors defended resolutely, constantly clearing a flurry of second half corners, giving themselves a chance of salvaging something as the game entered the final stages.

May had the ball in the back of the net, but Collum pulled it back for a foul on Kevin Holt in the build up. That was one of May?s last actions in the game before he was replaced by Rooney.

As the clocked ticked past the 90 minute mark Rooney nearly scored with his first touch as O?Connor flicked on Christie?s dangerous free kick. The striker was inches away from getting his head on it at the back post and making an immediate impact.

McInnes brought on GMS for McGinn to run down the clock in stoppage time. But there was no late surge from Dundee and the full time whistle sounded with Aberdeen running out comfortable 1-0 winners.