Aberdeen rattled Ross County to return to third place in the Premiership.
Free kicks from Niall McGinn and Ryan Hedges helped to cancel out Josh Mullin’s penalty before Andrew Considine sealed the points for the Dons at the Global Energy Stadium.
It made it three wins on the bounce for the Pittodrie side.
Motherwell could jump back above Aberdeen if they can shock Celtic tomorrow but if they don’t it will be Derek McInnes ' side who head into the international break as the nearest challengers to Glasgow’s big two.
It was County who took the lead in the fifth minute from the penalty spot when Josh Mullin sent Joe Lewis the wrong way from the spot.
The Highlanders should have been looking to build on that but their lead lasted less than five minutes.
Liam Fontaine was adjudged to have handled outside his own box. Niall McGinn then managed to beat Ross Laidlaw at his left-hand post, thanks to a bit of a decoy in front of him.
Another free kick saw Aberdeen take the lead seven minutes after the interval.
Ryan Hedges swung in a free kick from wide on the left. It was a great delivery but nobody got a touch and it dropped straight into Ross Laidlaw’s far post.
Aberdeen were than frustrated when they didn't get a penalty of their own for a foul on Sam Cosgrove.
Considine, on his 499th appearance, picked up the ball and then slotted it high past Laidlaw to seal this win.
Talking points
Should Ross County have been awarded their penalty?
The decision was given after Lewis Ferguson was alleged to have handled Michael Gardyne’s cross inside the box. Aberdeen felt the decision was harsh and on first viewing the midfielder’s arm didn’t look to have been in an unnatural position.
Could Ross Laidlaw have done better at Aberdeen’s second goal?
Ross County would have been disappointed with the way they went behind. It was a decent free kick. It was curled in dangerously but nobody got a touch and it ended up nestling in the back of the goalkeeper’s net.
Can Aberdeen now keep a hold of third spot?
That should certainly be the minimum expectation from Derek McInnes’s side this season. They have the third biggest budget and if they manage to continue this three-game unbeaten run then they could take some stopping. Motherwell will have something to say against Celtic tomorrow, while Kilmarnock will still look to muscle into that particular fight.
