It’s two defeats out of two for St Johnstone in the five-game mini-season which will determine their Premiership fate.
And this time Ross County didn’t help them out.
The Dingwall team’s late winner against Hibs means Saints are now second bottom of the table and in the play-off position with just three games left.
Craig Levein’s side showed improvement from their disjointed display against Hibs as the post-split phase of the league campaign got underway.
But it ended up with the same result as Aberdeen took an initially even contest away from Saints.
Bojan Miovski tucked away a penalty, the award of which could be put in the ‘soft category’.
Given their dominance in the second half, Aberdeen merited their win.
Saints started their previous two games here very well and it was the same on this occasion.
Their passing was so much more accurate and purposeful than seven days ago.
The visitors didn’t cut the Aberdeen defence open but they did have a couple of good shooting opportunities at the edge of the box.
From one of those, a well-struck Nicky Clark effort was deflected past the post.
The Dons struggled to build any real attacking rhythm but came closest to opening the scoring midway through the first half.
Dimitar Mitov made an uncharacteristic error in fumbling a Leighton Clarkson cross and was fortunate that the ball didn’t fall for Miovski.
Saints cleared for a corner and Stefan Gartenmann should have scored with a free header from the set-piece.
The centre-half was a penalty box hero at the other end, just before the half-hour mark.
Benji Kimpioka did well to work himself space to shoot on the angle and, with Kelle Roos beaten, it took smart thinking from Gartenmann to keep the scoreline blank.
He sensed the danger, sprinted to the back post and headed off the line.
The hosts finished the half strongly and, after Saints gave away a cheap free kick 20 yards out, Junior Hoilett hit the crossbar and Gartenmann directed the rebound straight at Mitov.
Dons in charge after the interval
The break came at the right time but unfortunately it didn’t interrupt Aberdeen’s momentum.
They picked up where they left off and it took a Clark goal-line clearance to stop Angus MacDonald from heading home a Hoilett out-swinging corner.
It felt like an Aberdeen opener was on the cards and they got it on 69 minutes.
There was a long VAR check after a penalty was awarded when Connor Smith and/or Andy Considine were deemed by referee Chris Graham to have impeded Nicky Devlin.
The on-pitch decision stood and Miovski sent Mitov the wrong way with his spot-kick.
At the end of a one-sided second half, substitute Adama Sidibeh should have snatched a point for Saints but didn’t even work the keeper with an eight-yard header that sailed over the bar.
St Johnstone ratings
Mitov 6, Considine 6.5, McGowan 7, Gordon 6.5, Clark 7, Carey 6.5, Wright 7 (MacPherson, 63), M Smith 6.5, Kimpioka 7 (Sidibeh, 75), Phillips 6, C Smith 6 (May, 75). Subs not used – Richards, Kucheriavyi, Olufunwa, Crawford, Keltjens, Franczak.
Star man – Benji Kimpioka
He had to feed off scraps in the second half but the centre-forward’s 29th minute run and shot was the closest Saints came to scoring.
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