Scottish round-up: Aberdeen beat Motherwell while Dundee stun Hearts

By Allan Valente

Friday 23 December 2016 22:25, UK

Aberdeen closed the gap on Rangers in second place after they beat Motherwell 3-1 at Fir Park on Friday night.

Goals from Graeme Shinnie, Adam Rooney and a late Niall McGinn strike were enough to seal the points after Scott McDonald's overhead kick had earlier brought the sides level at 1-1 in an action packed first half.

Aberdeen took the lead after six minutes following some good build-up play from the away side, with Jonny Hayes finding Shinnie with a cutback and the defender swept his effort into the bottom corner past Craig Samson.

Motherwell were back on level terms after 16 minutes when Richard Tait's cross from the right hand side was met by McDonald, whose deft overhead kick went in off the bar.

Aberdeen were back in front less than 10 minutes later, however, and in controversial circumstances. Samson spilled Kenny McLean's shot and was adjudged to have brought down Rooney who was following up, although the contact looked minimal.

Rooney took the spot-kick, which was saved, but the striker was quickest to the rebound to slam the ball into the roof of the net.

Motherwell had the chance to draw level again five minutes before half-time when Mark Reynolds brought down Keith Lasley in the box but Louis Moult's penalty was saved before his follow up was blocked, Andrew Considine's clearance hit his own post and McDonald's effort was stopped.

Craig Clay had a goal ruled out for the home team before Moult and Considine both had headers come back off the bar for either side. Aberdeen wrapped up the points in the final minute when Hayes broke at pace and cut the ball back for McGinn whose first time effort found the corner.

Ian Cathro is still searching for his first win as Hearts boss as Dundee came from two goals down to win 3-2 at Dens Park.

The visitors took the lead after three minutes when Jamie Walker was upended by Kevin Gomis in the box, with Walker getting up to slot the resulting spot-kick into the net. Callum Paterson extended that lead three minutes after the break with a header from Don Cowie's free-kick.

Dundee got back into the game after 54 minutes, however, when Darren O'Dea lashed the ball into the net and they levelled the match with less than 20 minutes remaining when James Vincent picked out substitute Paul McGowan who poked the ball into the goal.

An earlier injury to Cowie meant there were nine minutes of stoppage time and Dundee's remarkable comeback was complete after 93 minutes when Marcus Haber's header sealed the points.

Partick Thistle moved off the bottom of the Scottish Premiership after a fine 3-1 win away at Ross County.

The visitors took the lead five minutes into the second half when Liam Lindsay powered his header past County goalkeeper Scott Fox from a corner.

They extended their advantage on the hour mark when Callum Booth's cross was headed home by striker Kris Doolan before Chris Erskine's excellent solo goal 12 minutes before full-time put the game out of sight.

Ross County did get one back six minutes from time through a Liam Boyce header but it was merely a consolation.

St Johnstone got back to winning ways after back-to-back draws as they beat Kilmarnock 1-0 at Rugby Park.

Murray Davidson's volley shortly before half-time was the difference between the sides with Killie failing to respond to going behind.

Kilmarnock's Luke Hendrie was booked for a wild challenge over at the corner flag for the home side late on and was shown a red card after picking up his second yellow for dissent moments later.

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