Kilmarnock 1 Aberdeen 3

Last updated : 07 October 2003 By Footymad Previewer

Aberdeen ended their nine-year Rugby Park hoodoo with an easy 3-1 victory over a lacklustre Kilmarnock.

David Zdrilic opened the scoring after only three minutes, meeting Scott Booth's crisply struck cross at the near post and deflecting the ball past Francois Dubordeau, who made an unhappy home debut in the Killie goal.

Only Kris Boyd will know how he failed to equalise in the ninth minute after a great run from the back by Sean Hessey. The defender chipped a perfect cross to the far post where Boyd was unmarked three yards out but managed to send his header wide of the far post.

A mistake in midfield allowed Aberdeen in for number two in the 15th minute. Gary Locke was caught in possession by Steve Tosh, who danced through the heart of the defence before calmly slipping the ball past Dubordeau.

The Dons looked likely to score with every attack and almost made it three midway through the first half.

The chance was created again by sloppiness in the home defence. James Fowler's slip allowed Scott Muirhead to cross.

Hessey missed his kick to clear and Zdrilic let fly from 20 yards and was unlucky to see the ball rattle the crossbar. Kevin McNaughton also grazed the woodwork in the 40th minute with a good curling shot.

The third goal came two minutes after the re-start with a goal similar to the first. This time Tosh reached the dead ball line and fired a low ball to Scott Booth, who played the last time Aberdeen won in Kilmarnock, and he calmly tucked the ball home.

Killie went to an attacking 4-2-4 formation and got a goal back in the 67th minute.

Freddie Dindeleux met Stevie Fulton's free kick only to see his header strike the bar, but Colin Nish reacted quickest to stab the ball home.