Aberdeen back in the top six after Bojan Miovski hits winner against Livingston

Bojan Miovski netted his 17th goal of the season as Aberdeen beat Livingston 1-0 to move back into the cinch Premiership top six.

The North Macedonia international fired home a close-range volley at the end of the first half.

The home side showed an early intent with Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes finding the side-netting after Jack MacKenzie’s clipped ball over the top, but the offside flag eventually went up.

Matches between these sides are often a battle and from a Sean Kelly throw-in, Aberdeen defended stoutly, throwing bodies in front of the ball before Stephen Kelly hit over the bar.

Duk was having a lot of success down the flanks for the Dons and the Cape Verde man sparked a superb counter with a turn near his own corner flag before switching the ball to the left flank. Ylber Ramadani’s cross sought Duk who had continued his run, but the ball was just out of reach.

A more direct approach presented Ross McCrorie with a chance four minutes before the interval as he ran onto a long ball from goalkeeper Jay Gorter, but his effort was blocked as a slew of visiting defenders descended on him.

The deadlock was broken before the interval though. Leighton Clarkson’s corner was partially cleared but Ryan Duncan picked up the scraps and sent in a teasing cross which was flicked back across goal by Mattie Pollock and Miovski drilled a sweet volley past Shamal George from close range.

Livi came out all guns blazing at the start of the second half and had a hopeful penalty claim reviewed by VAR as Nicky Devlin’s cross came off MacKenzie, but there was nothing doing.

As the play continued, Joel Nouble got a shot away and Angus MacDonald positioned himself well to head off the line.

At the other end, MacDonald met a Clarkson corner from the left and may feel he should have done better as he headed over the bar.

The contest descended into a niggly midfield battle but though the visitors began to get more balls into the box, Aberdeen were largely comfortable in seeing the game out.