Aberdeen 2 - 1 Dundee

There were three changes for the Dons from Wednesday night's defeat at Hibs. In come Ross McCrorie after suspension, Calvin Ramsay and Teddy Jenks with Declan Gallagher, Dean Campbell and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas starting from the bench.

There were four changes to the Dundee side that lost 1-0 at home to Hearts last weekend, Jordan Marshall, Ryan Sweeney, Alex Jakubiak and Corey Panter all starting. Missing were Chris Elliott, Paul McMullan, Daniel Mullen and Max Anderson. Their bench included goalkeeper Harry Sharp as an outfield player and assistant manager Dave Mackay.

In front of a largely empty Pittodrie because of the new Covid restrictions, it was the visitors who got off to the best start, taking the lead on seven minutes. From a free-kick, pretty central but some 30 yards out, Griffiths fired a ferocious left footed shot, the ball taking a deflection off Jonny Hayes in the wall, causing it to swerve away from Joe Lewis and into the roof of the net.

The Dons weren't long in squaring things back up though, the game going level on 12 minutes. There was good interplay between Jenks and Ryan Hedges, the Welshman weaving his way into the box to fire a low shot through Legzdins and in to restore parity.

A corner from Ramsay had Dundee in trouble a couple of minutes later, Legzdins flapping it away as Aberdeen began building a head of steam. Hedges fired over on 21 minutes having run in behind to collect a Funso Ojo pass down the right, Aberdeen having some success with the longer ball early on.

It was a tactic that benefited Dundee too, Jakubiak in behind McCrorie on 24 minutes, but his shot from a tight angle was never worrying Lewis.

Kerr was lucky to escape a card on the half hour, a stray arm thumping into Hayes' face as he looked to get on the run down the left. McGhee did go in the book a minute later after flooring McCrorie with a lunging tackle.

Marley Watkins was next to threaten on 32 minutes. A raking pass forward from David Bates set Hedges on the chase, pulling the ball back to Watkins on the edge of the area, but he stabbed his effort wide of the target. Ramsay was next to try his luck with a punt from 35 yards out, but the ball flew into the empty Red Shed.

Hedges certainly had the bit between his teeth, some lovely skill taking him into the box and past a couple of challenges on 38 minutes before he finally ran out of room as the Dons looked for that second goal before the interval.

HALF-TIME: ABERDEEN 1 DUNDEE 1

There was a booking for Panter within 30 seconds of the restart as he scythed down Hayes on the left flank. From the free-kick, Aberdeen won a corner and Ramsay's delivery reached Christian Ramirez at the back post. His powerful header struck a Dundee arm - purely accidentally - and went behind. The second corner caused further chaos, Legzdins clawing the ball away from under his crossbar as the Dons looked to turn up the wick.

Connor McLennan was Aberdeen's first switch, replacing Jenks on 57 minutes, looking to inject some pace into the attacking play. He was released by a quick break involving Lewis Ferguson and Hedges five minutes later, his cross blocked behind. From the corner, Watkins took an awkward tumble as he got off a shot at goal. He continued briefly after treatment before having to give up the ghost, Niall McGinn coming on after 69 minutes.

Within a minute, the two subs were involved in getting Aberdeen in front. A clever header by Ramirez on halfway found McGinn who swept the ball out to McLennan. His pullback across goal was just behind Ramirez who got a slight touch on the ball into the path of Ferguson and he swooped down upon the ball on the edge of the box and laced a vicious shot back across the face of goal and into the far corner.

McCrorie had a half chance to seal things on 77 minutes, Ramsay's free-kick half cleared to the edge of the box where the defender chested the ball down but then volleyed over.

A mazy run from McLennan took him past a couple of challenges before his cross was blocked behind - had he gone down following a nudge on his way, McLennan would surely have won a penalty. From the corner, Ferguson stretched for a header at the back post, but put it wide. Ramsay then made way for Campbell with nine minutes to go, Ojo going back to right-back.

Kerr was the third Dundee man booked, poleaxing Hayes as the two went up for a header after 86 minutes.

Panic in the Aberdeen defence on 89 minutes as McGowan launched a free-kick into the box. Dundee won the first ball, Fontaine and McCrorie coverging on the second. The ball squirted off them and beyond Lewis, Ojo acrobatically clearing from inside the six yard box to keep the lead intact and take the Dons back into the top six.