Aberdeen 2 - 0 Livingston

Aberdeen collected another three points in an impressive second half display against a physical Livingston side. After a fairly quiet opening half which saw Livi keeper, McKenzie, pull off a string of good saves the game erupted in the second half when the visitors appeared to lose the plot, collecting three yellow cards in the opening spell then losing McNamee as he prevented Craig from opening the scoring with a hand ball. Craig stepped up to fire the penalty past McKenzie then added a delightful second four minutes later to secure the points. Pasquinelli was handed his debut in the second half and a fifth consecutive clean sheet made for the perfect afternoon for the red army.

Aberdeen kicked off but an early slip from McGuire gave Livi a sight of goal before Heikkinen got back to clear. A heavy challenge by Bahoken on Adams gave the Dons a free kick in the third minute and from the build up Tosh tried to find Craig but his pass was too strong. A minute later the visitors won the first corner of the match and the Dons defence dealt with the set play quite comfortably. Livi went closer in the sixth minute when Easton attempted a looping header from their second corner but Preece gathered easily. Aberdeen then threatened when Scott Severin caused problems with a long throw in the 8th minute that was eventually scrambled clear by the Lions defence.

The Dons went close in the 11th minute when Adams broke down the right and cut the ball back to Tosh. Stewart met his cross but McKenzie got his body behind the ball to make an easy stop. The match was looking for a spark to ignite the large crowd and Craig looked to have turned his man cleverly in the 16th minute to set himself up only to be penalised by referee McCurry. A minute later Tosh capitalised on a mistake to test McKenzie. The keeper had to scramble across his goal to turn the effort wide. Seconds later McKenzie was on hand again to deny Heikkinen as the home side began to threaten.

The Dons had plenty of the ball at this stage but the final delivery was not good enough. Mr. McCurry incurred the wrath of the red army again in the 25th minute when once again Craig was penalised for turning his man and earned a lecture for his troubles. Both sides carved out good chances on the half hour mark. Lovell was inches from connecting with an Easton cross at one end while seconds later John Stewart hit a great effort from 25 yards that was clawed away by McKenzie.

A Severin free kick in the 35th minute looked to be deflected for a corner but Livingston earned a goal kick and two minutes later a Tosh effort was almost deflected in to the net by a flailing Livi leg as the Dons searched for the elusive opener. The visitors defence was beginning to creak now as they were once again forced to scramble the ball clear from first a Tosh cross then another Severin throw in. Stewart went close again in the 41st minute when once again McKenzie tipped his header over after he met a dangerous McGuire cross to leave the teams level at the interval.

Severin tested McKenzie in the 47th minute with a high looping ball but the keeper had little difficulty in clutching it from the sky. McGuire and Tosh had formed a good partnership on the right and they continued to cause problems after the break. The first booking of the match came in the 51st minute for Derek Lilley when he was late on Anderson. McNamee followed his teammate into the book a minute later for a bad challenge on Severin as the visitors appeared to lose the plot. Tempers once again flared when Adams and Lovell squared up in the 57th minute but the referee settled for a firm talking to.

Diamond went close a minute later when his header was deflected wide and once again the visitors earned a goal kick. Livingston appeared hell bent on reducing the match to a playground squabble and Bahoken was booked on the hour mark after another bad challenge. This time the victim was Adams. The game then erupted in the 63rd minute when Aberdeen were awarded a penalty and Livingston were reduced to ten men. After good build up play Craig was denied a goal when McNamee stopped the ball with his hand. The penalty was awarded and McNamee was given a straight red. Justice was done when Craig fired the spot kick high into the net.

Within five minutes it was 2-0 and once again Craig was the scorer with a fantastic solo effort. He collected the ball on the left, turned well and closed in on the keeper before curling a delightful shot into the net. Craig should have completed his hat trick in the 71st minute when he intercepted a loose ball, ran in on goal but steered the ball wide of the target. It was almost three in the 78th minute when McKenzie was quickly off his line to block and Heikkinen fired the rebound on target only to see Rubio head his effort off the line.

Calderwood then made a double substitution when Pasquinelli and Hart replaced Stewart and Tosh. Heikkinen went close again in the 80th minute when he fired a powerful shot inches over the bar with McKenzie struggling. Craig was replaced by Muirhead in the 86th minute and received a standing ovation from the 13,000 plus crowd. Pasquinelli almost added the icing to the cake when he went close to grabbing a debut strike in the 89th minute. Aberdeen now move in to second top spot and have yet to concede a goal in the campaign.