Brian Graham fires Ross County to victory over Aberdeen

A Brian Graham double helped Ross County to a deserved victory over Aberdeen to lift them into third place in the Ladbrokes Premiership table.

Graham struck nine minutes from the break with a low drive from inside the box and the big striker added a second after a surging run.

It was an all-action match with plenty of goalmouth action at either end but County edged it with Graham's two goals and could have won by a bigger margin on the night.

Aberdeen applied some early pressure and a Johnny Hayes free-kick from the edge of the 18-yard box was blocked en route to goal.

County created a good opening in the ninth minute when Stuart Murdoch threaded the ball through to Liam Boyce in the Dons' box but his shot was easily saved by Danny Ward.

It was end-to-end stuff and after an overhead kick from David Goodwillie was held by Gary Woods, who was making his first start for the Dingwall side.

It was a high-tempo start and when Graeme Shinnie set up Goodwillie for a shot the Dons forward screwed his effort wide of Woods' left-hand post.

But after a good spell of pressure it was the home side who took the lead in the 36th minute when Foster drove into the box and when the ball broke to Graham he fired into the bottom corner.

Aberdeen made a double substitution at the start of the second half, with Shay Logan and Adam Rooney replacing Mark Reynolds and Willo Flood.

But it was the home side who doubled their lead in the 49th minute when a Boyce flick-on sent Graham on his way to goal and despite the attentions of Considine he placed his shot beyond Ward into the bottom corner.

It could have been all over in the 58th minute when Murdoch nodded the ball into Boyce's path, but the striker fired his shot well wide of target.

The visitors were denied twice in quick succession when a Niall McGinn shot rebounded off the base of the post then Rooney met the rebound but his shot was blocked in front of goal by Jamie Reckord.

After some desperate defending by County at one end, the home side broke upfield and Michael Gardyne played in Boyce but he failed to get enough power on his shot and Ward saved easily.

County almost added a third goal in stoppage time when new signing Alex Schalk forced a fine save from Ward.