Aberdeen 1-0 Inverness CT: Ash Taylor's header seals win at Pittodrie

Ash Taylor’s second half header ensured second-placed Aberdeen moved 11 points clear of Inverness Caledonian Thistle with a 1-0 win at Pittodrie.

Thistle dominated possession early on in the Scottish Premiership clash but it was Aberdeen who threatened with Shaleum Logan, Jonny Hayes, Niall McGinn, Barry Robson all having efforts which failed to find the target in the first 15 minutes.

Graeme Shinnie had a shot blocked just shy of the midway point in the opening period, which proved to be Caley Thistle’s only shot at goal of the entire first half.

The league’s leading scorer Adam Rooney had a blocked shot seven minutes later before Robson had another effort which sailed high and wide in an otherwise quiet first half.

And Aberdeen made their territorial dominance count almost immediately after the restart when Josh Meekings conceded a corner. Robson swung in the cross and Taylor leapt to meet it, giving the Dons a 47th minute lead.

The goal sprang Thistle into life, with Marley Watkins and Aaron Doran both drawing saves from Scott Brown.

But Aberdeen’s quality was evident and they almost doubled their lead through Rooney who forced a save from Ryan Esson with a shot from distance in the 72nd minute.

McGinn hit the post with a long-range effort of his own 60 seconds later before Watkins rattled the crossbar at the other end a minute later.

Aberdeen finished the game on the ascendancy with Kenny McLean’s shot requiring Esson’s intervention five minutes from time, but the game finished 1-0 as the Dons consolidated second place in the Scottish Premiership.