Hayes (second from right) opened the scoring early in the match

By Andy Campbell

Inverness gained a first ever home win against Aberdeen in an entertaining Scottish Premier League encounter.

A cross-cum-shot by the impressive Jonny Hayes put the Highlanders ahead in the 19th minute.

Adam Rooney punished a Zander Diamond mistake to double the home side's lead 16 minutes after the interval.

Michael Paton's red card for a challenge on Hayes and an injury to substitute Mitchel Megginson completed a miserable afternoon for the Dons.

The win gives Inverness their first home points of the season and moves them up to fifth in the table, while Aberdeen's second straight defeat sees them slip to seventh.

The fluent opening phase set the tone for the match with Diamond having a headed goal disallowed for offside and Inverness striker Rooney drawing a save from Mark Howard shortly after.

Scott Vernon, the Dons' top scorer, was next to threaten but he could not direct Darren Mackie's cross on target after leaping to head the ball in the six-yard box.

At the other end, Hayes sent an incisive pass in behind the Aberdeen defence for Eric Odhiambo to chase but the Inverness striker was foiled by Jerel Ifil's superb recovery tackle.

Inverness goalkeeper Ryan Esson was called into action for the first time in the 13th minute when he palmed away a fierce drive by Darren Mackie.

The trickery of Hayes was causing Aberdeen problems on their left-hand side and the winger sliced a shot wide after turning away from three defenders.

And it was Hayes that broke the deadlock, albeit unintentionally.

The Irishman took on Andrew Considine and clipped in a cross that dropped over the head of Howard and into the net.

Referee Calum Murray sent off Paton (far right) after 51 minutes

Hayes continued to torment the visitors and crossed for Odhiambo to head wide before flashing another shot past the far post from the right-hand side of the box.

Inverness passed up an excellent chance to double their lead in the opening minutes of the second half.

Rooney outmuscled Ifil as the ball bounced back towards the Aberdeen goal but, with the goal at his mercy, the striker contrived to blast the ball wide of the near post when a shot across the bows of Howard seemed the better option.

Aberdeen were energised by that miss and Considine fired wide from distance.

Mackie latched on to a deep cross with a header but the effort dipped beyond the far post.

Derek Young's replacement Paton then headed into the arms of Esson, who immediately sent the ball upfield to put the Dons under pressure.

Diamond tried to usher the ball back to Howard with his chest but the defender did not get enough on the pass, allowing Rooney to nip in and lob the ball into the net.

Aberdeen's afternoon went from bad to worse when Paton was shown a straight red card for his tackle on Hayes.

And there was more disappointment for the visitors when Megginson, who had come on as a substitute for Josh Magennis, was stretchered off to be replaced by Dean Jarvis following a late challenge by Ross Tokely, who was booked.

Mackie chased a Considine pass and brushed off the challenge of Grant Munro to attempt a lob over Esson but the effort trickled wide of the far post.

Hayes landed awkwardly late on but, after treatment, was able to carry on for a few minutes before being substituted near the end.

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