Aberdeen 0-1 Ross County

Gary Glen's late goal moved Ross County to third in the Scottish Premier League after beating Aberdeen at Pittodrie.

A drab first half saw Ryan Jack go close for the hosts while County's Ivan Sproule tested Jamie Langfield.

Sproule had the visitors' best chances of a similarly dull second half before Niall McGinn hit the side-netting.

But substitute Gary Glen finished Steffen Wohlfarth's flick with 10 minutes to go to put County level on points with Inverness CT.

Aberdeen were looking for their first ever competitive win over Ross County after drawing and losing the previous two meetings of 2012/13.

Jonny Hayes returned to the home side's starting XI and within sixty seconds foraged forward menacingly before being brought to a halt by County's Mihael Kovacevic.

With the game initially lacking fluidity, a decent Russell Anderson interception on 11 minutes eventually sparked an Aberdeen attack that ended with a Hayes cross which County keeper Mark Brown gathered at the second attempt.

The Dons took the game to Derek Adams' men again in the 25th minute.

A floated Hayes pass put Jack in behind County's Evangelos Ikonomou on the right side of the box and the Scotland under-21 international cut inside to send in a low left-footed shot wide of the goal.

Aberdeen's Clark Robertson clears under pressure from Ross County's Ivan Sproule

The visitors had rarely threatened but on 35 minutes Sproule suddenly supplied the game's best chance.

Ikonomou found Sproule on the left channel and the Northern Irishman flashed in a low right-footed effort which Langfield had to divert wide for a corner.

County sustained that pressure and a Kovacevic effort, after he dispossessed Hayes, gave Langfield more to do before half-time.

Dons manager Craig Brown replaced Fallon with Peter Pawlett at the beginning of the second period but it was 'as you were' in terms of a spectacle.

Aberdeen's Gavin Rae blazed over from Hayes' lay-off on the hour mark to prompt another groan from the Pittodrie crowd.

On 64 minutes, Sproule received a long ball in the box with his back to goal and wriggled away from Dons captain Russell Anderson to shoot tamely.

A minute later Sproule, looking for his sixth Ross County goal, worked Langfield again with a near-post drive but the home keeper was equal to it.

The striker was substituted for Glen soon after, a swap Sproule did not look enthused about.

With 15 minutes remaining, Langfield's long punt was misjudged by Scott Boyd in the County defence and McGinn hit a left-footer high into the side netting to remind the visitors of his presence.

Aberdeen's Pawlett did well to drift past Grant Munro on 78 minutes but his left-foot shot was weak.

Then, when a goal-less draw looked inevitable, County took the lead.

Rocco Quinn's right-wing cross was flicked on nicely by Wohlfarth in the direction of Glen, who blasted high past Langfield at the near-post from eight yards.

Aberdeen almost replied immediately as Rae latched onto Pawlett's pass in the box to force an excellent low save from Brown.

However, County ground out the victory to remain undefeated against the Dons and go level on points with second-placed Highland neighbours Inverness CT.