Ross County suffer defeat to Aberdeen and could go bottom if Dundee United beat Motherwell tomorrow
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Scottish Premiership
Ross County 0
Aberdeen 1
Scorer: Duk (16)
Ross County failed to put daylight between them and bottom of the table Dundee United after defeat against Aberdeen.
With only two points separating the pair at the foot of the table, the Staggies now face a nervous wait and could go bottom tomorrow if Dundee United win at Motherwell.
Aberdeen moved five points clear in third place in the Scottish Premiership with victory
Duk's 16th goal of the season proved to be the difference as the Cape Verde Islands international made it six goals in his last five matches.
However, Aberdeen were left hanging on in injury time when Graeme Shinnie was sent off in his 200th game for the club.
Ross County started the game brightly and came close to opening the scoring in the early stages.
Victor Loturi's deflected shot into the box fell to teenager Dylan Smith, but he was unable to connect with the ball which was scrambled away from danger.
Immediately after Ross County claimed for a penalty believing Simon Murray's shot hit the hand of Bojan Miovski.
But VAR ruled the North Macedonian was not guilty of handball as the game remained goalless.
Ross County piled on the pressure and George Harmon was allowed the freedom of the box to fire on target, but Angus Macdonald blocked the shot with his head to the relief of the defence.
Against the run of play, Aberdeen took the lead after 16 minutes, a counter attack saw Leighton Clarkson pounce on a loose ball and play through to Duk.
He beat the offside trap, charged into the box and fired a low drive past Ross Laidlaw from 12-yards out.
Ross County persevered to find the leveller and came close 10 minutes before half time when Jordan White played in Murray.
But his low drive forced a good save from Kelle Roos as he maintained the Dons's advantage.
Minutes later, Harmon's cross into the box from the right wing almost found White who would have had a tap-in from close range. But Liam Scales managed to divert the ball away from danger to keep the Dons in front at half time.
Miovski thought he put Aberdeen 2-0 up in the opening minutes of the second half when he played a neat one-two with Duk to fire home from 12-yards out.
But he was ruled to be offside after a VAR check.
The Staggies pressed for an equaliser and Josh Sims came close midway through the second half, but his close range header went straight into the hands of Roos.
Harmon also went close to grabbing an equaliser for County when he was left unchallenged inside the edge of the box, but his shot fired wide of the right post.
Shinnie almost marked his 200th game for the Dons with a goal in the closing stages when his thunderous effort went inches over the bar.
But he was then sent off in injury time for an ill-timed tackle on Jack Baldwin, but the Dons held on for victory.
Ross County: Laidlaw, Randall, Baldwin, Sims (Stones 76), Loturi ( Edwards 72), Watson, Harmon, Murray, White, Smit, Kenneh (Dhanda 45).
Substitutes: Munro, Purrington, Samuel, Macphee, Williamson.
Aberdeen: Roos, McCrorie, Scales, Shinnie, Miovski (Watkins 56), Duk (Coulson 89), Hayes, Pollock, Clarkson, Duncan, Macdonald.
Substitutes: Lewis, Mackenzie, Markanday, Richardson, Kennedy, Bavidge.
Referee: Euan Anderson.
Attendance 6619.
Cape Verde IslandsDuk 16th goal and his sixth goal in his last four matches.
Jack Baldwin returns to the squad following serving a three-match suspension.
Keith Watson replaced Alex Iacovtti in the starting line-up with Ben Purrington and Yan Dhanda return to the bench for The Staggies following injury.
Aberdeen won five games in a row. Two points clear of Hearts in third.
Ross County beat St Johnstone in previous game and two points clear.
Aberdeen made one chance as Graeme Shinnie was brought in for Ylber Ramadani who was ruled out with illness.
