Livingston 1 - 2 Aberdeen

Aberdeen got off to the worst possible start at the City ground when Lovell opened the scoring in the second minute. Livi had broken forward and Deloumeaux had to look lively to clear the ball for a corner. Comacho swung in the corner and Lovell rose to head the ball past Kjaer and give the home side the perfect start. Hugh Dallas booked Lovell in the aftermath for over celebrating.

Aberdeen recovered from the early setback and were presented with a chance in the 7th minute following a bad challenge by McNamee on Derek Young. The defender was lucky to escape punishment, but Clark failed to take advantage and fired the free kick over. A minute later Main made a magnificent block as Tosh looked certain to draw the Dons level from 12 yards out. The action was non stop and McGuire almost gifted Livi a second in the 9th minute when he was short with a pass back and Xausa collected and hit his effort over the bar.

There were claims for a penalty in the 22nd minute when Hart cut back a Clark cross and it appeared to hit the arm of a Livi defender. Dallas was unimpressed and play raged on. Chris Clark was causing the home side real problems on the left as he constantly skinned his full back. Derek Young went close in the 26th minute when he attempted to lob Main from the edge of the box, but the keeper scurried back to hold the ball on the line. In the 28th minute determined work from Tosh won the Dons a corner and Derek Young was unlucky to see his effort blocked for a second corner. He made no mistake from Clark's second delivery as he rose above the defence to head past Main.

The Dons then took a deserved lead three minutes later with a sensational goal from Paul Sheerin. He was on the edge of the box on the left side when he looked to swing in a cross. The ball flew over Main and nestled in the far corner of the net to send the travelling support into raptures. The home side then had their first period of sustained pressure without really threatening the Dons goal. In fact Sheerin went closest in the 38th minute when he latched on to a long ball from Anderson, but had his effort blocked.

Aberdeen started the second half on top with Clark causing havoc again on the left and Hart should have done better in the 48th minute when he delivered a telling cross after turning Brinquin inside out. A minute later it looked like the Dons had added a third when McGuire steered a Sheerin corner goalwards. However Main pulled off a tremendous save to keep the defender's effort out. Livi were determined to take something from the game and started to show a bit more attacking quality.

Hinds should have added a third in the 64th minute when he was released inside the box, but took too long to pull the trigger and was closed down as he finally had a pop. A minute later Tosh went close when Main tipped his fierce 20 yard drive over the top. Mike replaced Hinds in the 76th minute, but it was the Aberdeen defence who appeared to switch off as Livingston threatened to equalise.

A Bingham header and two Zarate headers tested Kjaer in a two minute spell before Wilson missed a guilt-edged chance in the 80th minute. After breaking up a Dons attack Zarate broke and ran at an exposed Dons defence. He found Wilson inside the box, but fortunately the Livi man fired over when it looked easier to score. There was panic in the Dons defence again a minute later when Wilson played a one-two but a combination of McGuire and Kjaer somehow kept the ball out of the net to hang on to all three points.