Ross County 0 - 1 Aberdeen

It took 16 seconds for Duk to defeat Kilmarnock last Saturday. It was 16 minutes in Dingwall but the outcome was the same - three points for the Dons and a stronger grip on third place in the table.

Following the 2-0 win over Kilmarnock last Saturday, Barry Robson made just one change to his team. Skipper Graeme Shinnie returned after suspension to play his 200th game for the Dons, in place of Ylber Ramadani who missed out through illness. Joe Lewis was back on the bench in place of Jay Gorter.
Ross County won 2-0 at St Johnstone last weekend and make three changes, Simon Murray, Jack Baldwin and Keith Watson back in the side in place of Alex Iacovitti, David Cancola and Eamonn Brophy.
County made a fast and furious start to the game, winning a corner in the first few seconds and then having a couple of shots from distance which the Dons managed to deal with. A second County corner on six minutes created a real flurry of activity, Dons defenders throwing themselves in the path of a couple of shots and coming through unscathed, even after a VAR check for a penalty.
Murray was sent away by a long ball from Loturi on 14 minutes, Angus MacDonald doing well to stay with the attacker and get a good block in on the shot. Moments later, MacDonald did well to get in the way of a Harmon shot.
The Dons got full value from those blocks because they were 1-0 up after 16 minutes. Leighton Clarkson collected the ball on halfway and played a nicely angled ball into Duk. He accelerated away from Watson and into the box before placing his shot across the face of the goalkeeper and just inside the far post.
County hit back with a free-kick out wide three minutes later, the ball seemingly dropping nicely for White, but MacDonald was taking no prisoners again as he launched a clearance into the stands. Next it was Liam Scales who had to produce a last gasp block on a Murray shot to put it over the bar on 21 minutes.
Jonny Hayes was booked on 26 minutes following a lunging tackle on White after Scales had been dispossessed on halfway. Bojan Miovski looked to be in on goal on the half hour after he intercepted a misplaced pass, but Sims did well to come across and win the ball from him.
Having played most of the game in their own half, the Dons got a greater measure of control in the last 10 minutes, a Hayes shot from distance deflected over the bar in the 44th minute.

HALF-TIME: ROSS COUNTY 0 ABERDEEN 1

County made a change at the break, Dhanda replacing Kenneh.
The Dons started brightly and looked to be further in front on 48 minutes, Duk on the charge to set up Miovski who rifled past Laidlaw as the offside flag went up, based on Duk's initial run, a ruling eventually confirmed by VAR. Miovski was replaced by Marley Watkins on 57 minutes.
Aberdeen were far more in control of the early moments of the second half, pushing County back into retreat, most of the game again being played out in front of the travelling Dons fans behind the goal. County were still in the game though and Sims was given the chance to plant a header goalwards on 64, but fortunately, he put it straight into the hands of Kelle Roos.
Ryan Duncan had a look at goal on 71 minutes, winning the ball 25 yards out before lashing a vicious shot at goal that lifted late and flashed just over the bar. Two minutes later, Loturi was replaced by Edwards. Almost immediately, Duncan had another crack at goal, a curling drive from just inside the box deflected against the bar and away.
Harmon was first onto a Scales clearance on 76, pulling his shot just wide of goal from 20 yards out, but County were struggling to find the momentum they'd enjoyed in the first half. They made another charge a minute later, Sims making way for Stones. Duncan was immediately booked for a foul on him.
Some fancy footwork from Duk earned him space at the by-line allowed him to pull the ball back to Clarkson on 80 minutes, the Liverpool loanee leaning back and putting his shot into the crowd.
Stones wasn't very far away from an equaliser on 83 minutes, a free-kick in the box dropping kindly for him. One touch and he was drilling a shot goalwards but just wide of the target. At the other end, Shinnie came onto a loose ball 25 yards out, slamming the ball over the bar in the 86th minute.
Ross McCrorie was next to power forward, Randall chopping him down and getting a booking in the 89th minute, Duk being replaced by Hayden Coulson in the aftermath.
A strong Shinnie challenge on Baldwin in the 92nd minute had the referee called over to the VAR monitor and the upshot of that was a straight red card for the Aberdeen captain who won the ball first, his follow through carrying him into the County man. It look a harsh decision.
County earned a corner in the last minute of time added on, Dhanda's delivery won by Mattie Pollock who headed it away for a throw in. Still County pressed as we headed into the ninth minute of added time, Scales clearing for another corner. The Dons dealt with it, and the three points were theirs for a sixth successive time.

3 minutes added at end of 1st half.
5 minutes added at end of 2nd half plus 3 due to late VAR.