Two goals in the opening 10 minutes of the second-half were enough to deny the Lions a share of the spoils in Aberdeen, despite a Scott Pittman strike with 20 minutes to play offering a glimmer of hope in the closing stages.

Gary Holt made two changes to the team who picked up a point against Rangers last weekend with Robby McCrorie taking his place back between the sticks ahead of Max Stryjek and Scott Robinson coming in to lead the line ahead of Jack Hamilton.

It was the Lions who looked brightest in the early exchanges with Shay Logan having to put in a timely challenge to deny Alan Forrest as the winger burst into the box after seven minutes.

Jonny Hayes then saw an effort deflected wide soon after for the home side, who perhaps should have taken the lead on the half-hour as Matty Kennedy worked an opening on the left and pulled back for Lewis Ferguson, but his low shot was easily held by McCrorie.

At the other end and that man Robinson passed up an even better chance. Nicky Devlin robbed Kennedy on the wing and burst into the box, squaring for Robinson who initially side-stepped Joe Lewis before the ‘keeper made a great recovery to block the final shot.

Half-time came at the wrong time for the men in amber who were growing into the game – and that fear was realised when the Dons took the lead in the 49th minute. Ferguson was bundled over in the penalty area by Craig Sibbald and picked himself up to fire superbly into the top corner from the resultant spot-kick.

Ferguson blocked a Jack McMillan effort as the visitors sought a quick fire leveller, but Aberdeen doubled their lead six minutes later.

Ryan Hedges combined with Scott Wright twice before the latter, now with only the goalkeeper to beat, slotted beyond McCrorie into the bottom corner.

McCrorie would then deny the home side a third with a stunning point-blank stop from Watkins’ diving header, keeping Livingston in the game, just moments after he’d made an equally impressive stop from the same man with an outstretched leg.

The Lions would pull a goal back after 69 minutes as Jack Fitzwater found space on the right and done excellently to get down the line before sending a teasing cross to the back post that was met by Pittman who bundled past Lewis.

The players and coaching staff would perhaps feel like we should have had a penalty in the dying minutes as the Aberdeen defence failed to deal with Devlin’s long throw and Logan appeared to handle in the ensuing stramash, under pressure from Jack Hamilton, but referee Steven McLean who appeared to be unsighted, would wave away the claims.

A familiar feeling to this one with another decent performance from the Lions in Pittodrie but coming back down the road with nothing to show for it.

Next up – Ross County at the Tony Macaroni Arena on Saturday.

Aberdeen: Lewis, Logan, Taylor, McKenna (⇔ Ojo 45), Hayes, McCrorie, Ferguson, Wright (⇔ McGeouch 61), Hedges (⇔ Main 81), Kennedy (⇔ Hoban 89), Watkins (⇔ McLennan 81)
Subs not used: Cerny, Hernandez, Bryson, Anderson
Goals: Ferguson (49 pen), Wright (55)

Livingston: McCrorie, Devlin ▊, Guthrie, Fitzwater (⇔ Ambrose 71), McMillan (⇔ Serrano 72), Bartley, Sibbald ▊ (⇔ Hamilton 72), Holt, Pittman, Forrest (⇔ Tiffoney 76), Robinson
Subs not used: Stryjek, Taylor-Sinclair, Crawford, Kouider-Aïssa
Goals: Pittman (69)

Referee: David Munro
HT: 0-0
Att: BCD
Match Report: Dave Black

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