Kilmarnock, Scotland (SportsNetwork.com) - Aberdeen closed to within five points of Scottish Premier League leaders Celtic on Sunday as the Dons used a 69th-minute goal from Cameron Smith to claim a 2-1 win at Kilmarnock.
Adam Rooney netted his league-leading 16th goal of the campaign five minutes before halftime, while Killie responded with a goal early in the second half through Craig Slater.
But Smith notched the winner in the 69th minute, helping his side climb a bit closer to Celtic at the top of the league, although the leaders still have a game in hand.
The loss means that Kilmarnock's hopes of finishing in the top six are now dashed.
Kilmarnock had a goal ruled out by a questionable officiating decision, and the hosts then found themselves down five minutes before the break when a free kick from Niall McGinn picked out Donervorn Daniels, who played the ball across the face of goal for Rooney to finish at the back post.
Killie leveled the contest less than three minutes into the second half as Alexei Eremenko started the move and Slater put it away as he swept a shot past Aberdeen goalkeeper Scott Brown.
McGinn had a hand in the winning goal as well for the Dons when he beat his defender on the right and delivered a fantastic cross that the unmarked Smith headed home.
Kilmarnock had a great chance to equalize in the closing minutes of the game when Brown came off his line and brought down substitute Lee Miller inside the penalty area.
However, Brown made up for his error by stopping a weak spot kick from Slater to preserve the win.
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