Ross County 0-1 Aberdeen: Duk scores to increase Pittodrie club’s lead over Hearts

Resurgent Aberdeen notched up their sixth win in a row to maneuver 5 factors away from Hearts in third place as struggling Ross County have been overwhelmed within the Scottish Premiership.

However the Pittodrie membership needed to survive a late bombardment after captain Graeme Shinnie’s injury-time purple card.

County stay in eleventh place.

The hosts, who began brightly, hardly ever examined Kelle Roos within the Aberdeen aim, and will end the weekend backside of the desk if Dundee United defeat Motherwell on Saturday.

With a sold-out away allocation of two,500, the travelling Aberdeen followers did not have lengthy to attend to erupt into euphoria, and unsurprisingly, it was their in-form man, Duk, who delivered.

Latching on to a delightfully-weighted threaded move from Leighton Clarkson, the Cape Verde worldwide rolled his sixteenth league aim by a wavering Ross Laidlaw within the County aim.

The response from the hosts was concise, however lacked a medical edge. Comfy in possession, successful numerous free-kicks and 7 corners within the first-half alone – the identical tally amassed within the win final weekend towards St Johnstone.

Duk is only one half of a lethal duo for Aberdeen, and it appeared he offered his accomplice Bojan Miovski with a well timed help because the North Macedonia worldwide stroked the ball previous Laidlaw simply after the break. However, County have been spared by the offside flag in a good name.

Laidlaw then had the woodwork to thank as Ryan Duncan cracked the underside of the bar along with his neat effort taking a nick on its method via.

However on his two hundredth look for the membership, Shinnie was dismissed for the second time in three video games after referee Euan Anderson was referred to as to the monitor to evaluation the midfielder’s sliding sort out on Jack Baldwin.

It invited late stress on Aberdeen’s aim, however the guests’ defence remained strong.

Participant of the match – Luis Lopes

Dons defence impresses once more whereas County slack in assault – evaluation

It is now no shock to see Aberdeen performing so nicely underneath Barry Robson. A daunting sea-change in power, precision and confidence.

Duk will as soon as once more dominate the headlines, have his identify sung within the stands, and rightly so, however because the previous saying goes, the very best type of assault is defence.

Angus MacDonald and Mattie Pollock have been immense since coming into Pittodrie. They’ve introduced the very best again out of Liam Scales, by his personal admission, to create a stable basis on the again.

That is the fourth clear sheet in a row for Aberdeen, the primary time that has been achieved within the league since January 2015.

Ross County supplied a lot in the course of the park, having fun with massive spells on the ball, however lacked any form of medical edge within the remaining third. Kelle Roos had little or no to do within the Aberdeen aim.

The Aberdeen defence lapped up the continuous lengthy balls from County within the path of Simon Murray, on an evening the place they once more remained defiant till the ultimate whistle.

What did they are saying?

Ross County supervisor Malky Mackay: “On one other day, one thing would have damaged for us. I used to be actually pleased with the best way we began, the entire first half actually I used to be completely satisfied however we make a poor error in the course of the park which items them the primary aim.

“If we maintain enjoying like that for the subsequent six video games, we’ll be okay.”

Aberdeen interim supervisor Barry Robson: “We knew what was coming nevertheless it’s tough to cease. From the primary minute, the ball is put excessive they usually win a nook. It is an onslaught. It is arduous to take care of, so we labored on being defensively sturdy.

“I will be boring and say we take every recreation because it comes. I do know issues are not far away on this recreation, so I am going to not get carried away.”

What’s subsequent?

Within the remaining spherical of fixtures earlier than the break up, Ross County journey all the way down to Tynecastle to tackle Hearts at 12:30 (BST) on Saturday, 22 April, whereas Aberdeen host Rangers the day after at 16:30.