Kilmarnock 3 - 1 Aberdeen

Once again a brilliant Hicham Zerouali strike was not enough to save Aberdeen as defensive blunders let the Dons down again. [audio: Jinx]
Although Aberdeen enjoyed a lot of the possession, they were unable to convert it into chances. [audio: No one-twos] After fighting their way back into the match it was once more to no avail as the home side punished some poor defending to take all three points with a late double.

Kilmarnock kicked off and were first to show. Breaking down the left, McGuire did well to usher the ball over the bye line. Seconds later Mitchell had a wild effort at goal. The Dons created their first opening in the 2nd minute when Derek Young and Guntveit combined to set up Darren Young. The midfielder was a bit slow on the uptake and had the ball cleared from his toes as he lined up the shot.

The Dons went close again in the 7th minute when a Zerouali cross from the right caused the Killie defence problems with Fowler clearing as Derek Young looked set to pounce. Darren Young was next to go close when a Winters free kick was cleared to the edge of the box. The midfielder didn?t get a good connection and screwed the ball wide. Kilmarnock took the lead in the 11th minute against the run of play when McNaughton conceded a free kick on the bye-line. Calderon swung in the cross and Dindeleux rose unchallenged to bullet home. Aberdeen should have equalised a minute later when a Winters' lay-off was collected by Zerouali. The Moroccan only had Marshall to beat, but sliced the ball well wide of the target.

The play continued to move from end to end and Kilmarnock went close again in the 14th minute when Di Giacomo fired a shot inches wide of Kjaer?s post. Two minutes later Zerouali had a snap shot from 9 yards which Marshall held easily. Aberdeen were beginning to get the upper hand, but moves were invariably breaking down in the final third. Kilmarnock should have extended their lead on the half-hour mark when the Dons defence stopped to appeal for offside. The Kilmarnock attack played to the whistle and Di Giacomo should have buried Murray?s cross.

The Dons almost lost a second in the 43rd minute after a period of intense Dons pressure. Di Giacomo was the sinner once more as he strode through on goal with the Dons defence once more appealing for offside. Kjaer narrowed the angle well and made a fine block. After promising so much in the opening period it was the visitors who went in a goal down.

The Dons created their first opening of the second period when Robbie Winters finally got in behind the Kille rearguard only to have his cross cut out. With the frontline getting no change from the home defence, Skovdahl replaced Derek Young with Eugene Dadi in the 57th minute. A minute later Winters found himself in a good position after a diagonal run, only to miss the ball completely as he tried to find Dadi in the centre. This was all forgotten in the 59th minute when Zerouali grabbed the equaliser. The Moroccan collected the ball from McNaughton 25 yards out and rifled the ball into the net off the underside of the crossbar. [audio: Cracker]

The Dons almost took the lead in the 63rd minute when McGuire headed a Winters cross inches wide of Marshall?s left hand post. A minute later McAllister replaced the injured McNaughton. The goal had spurred the home side and play was raging from end to end with chances being created. The closest being a Mitchell drive in the 72nd minute, which went wide of the Dons goal. A minute later Winters did well to get between two defenders and connect with a Zerouali cross. Unfortunately he couldn?t steer the ball on target.

Dadi went close in the 78th minute heading a Winters' cross inches wide of the target as both teams went all out for the winner. Aberdeen were caught out in the 81st minute when bad defending led to a second Kilmarnock goal. Boyd was given acres of space inside the box before steering the ball beyond Kjaer. The Dons misery was completed in the 87th minute when Cocard beat the offside trap and found Mahood at the far post. The player turned the ball home to give Killie a flattering 3-1 result. [audio: Chasing the winner]