Substitute Peter Ambrose scored a late purpose as Aberdeen eked out a 1-0 win over Dundee United to maneuver three factors clear on the prime of the Scottish Premiership.
Jimmy Thelin’s aspect appeared set to be annoyed by their cussed guests on a tense night at a packed Pittodrie.
However Nigerian ahead Ambrose sparked jubilant scenes as he notched the one purpose of the sport within the 84th minute, simply two minutes after coming into the fray.
The victory maintained the Dons’ beautiful 15-game unbeaten run beneath Jimmy Thelin – 14 of which have been victories – and ensured they stole a march on Celtic, who go to Motherwell on Sunday. They’re now 9 factors away from third-place Rangers, who head to Pittodrie on Wednesday.
There have been three adjustments to the Dons aspect that began the 2-2 draw at Celtic Park the earlier weekend as Ante Palaversa, Duk and Esther Sokler changed Graeme Shinnie, Leighton Clarkson and the injured Kevin Nisbet.
United boss Jim Goodwin – a former Aberdeen supervisor – made one alteration to the aspect that kicked off the dramatic 3-2 victory over Hibernian as Kristijan Trapanovski got here in for Miller Thomson.
There was a way of anticipation among the many dwelling assist forward of kick-off within the Granite Metropolis, however the Dons had been largely stifled early on by a well-organised United aspect, pleased to drop deep in numbers, shut off house and hit on the
counter-attack.
The hosts’ first notable alternative got here within the twenty fourth minute when Topi Keskinen latched on to an extended diagonal cross from Jack MacKenzie and seemed to be clear by means of, however Kevin Holt acquired again to make an important deal with on the sting of the field earlier than the Finn may pull the set off.
Regardless of having fun with the vast majority of the possession, the Dons’ solely try of the primary half got here within the thirty third minute when Palaversa rifled a low shot simply vast from 25 yards out after Declan Gallagher cleared a MacKenzie cross into his
path.
United appeared harmful on the sporadic events they ventured ahead and Sam Dalby and Luca Stephenson each headed over the bar earlier than the interval.
Having seen his aspect fail to attain within the first half of a house league sport for the primary time this season, Thelin despatched on Shayden Morris for Keskinen at first of the second interval and inside a minute of the restart the substitute burst down the best and fizzed a low supply throughout the six-yard field that discovered no takers.
The Dons threatened once more when MacKenzie surged into the field and minimize the ball again for Jamie McGrath, whose low shot was diverted behind by Jack Walton.
The United keeper made one other large save when he pushed Morris’ angled shot vast after the winger had performed an incisive one-two with Sokler to get himself free within the field.
Aberdeen thought that they had gone forward within the seventieth minute when Sokler headed a Morris cross in direction of purpose, however Walton dived beautifully all the way down to his proper to claw it out.
Simply because it appeared just like the Dons had been going to be annoyed, nonetheless, Ambrose compelled the ball in from six yards out after Gavin Molloy’s cross had been knocked again into the hazard space by Nicky Devlin on the again submit.
