Highlights - Aberdeen 2-0 St Mirren

Scott Vernon scored twice to move Aberdeen four points clear of toothless opponents St Mirren, who remain second bottom of the Scottish Premier League.

New signing Rob Milsom forced Buddies goalkeeper Paul Gallacher into a save during a disappointing first half.

But manager Craig Brown's half-time tactical switch paid dividends as Vernon forced the ball home following an effort from Chris Maguire.

Vernon headed in from point-blank range following a 67th-minute Maguire cross.

Victory ensured that the Dons have gone five matches unbeaten in league and cup and have now gathered 10 points out of 12 since Brown took over from the sacked Mark McGhee.

Former Fulham midfielder Milsom had been handed his Aberdeen debut in place of suspended captain Paul Hartley, but fellow new recruit Nick Blackman, who has arrived on loan from Blackburn, missed out with a virus.

The Buddies were without the injured Michael Higdon and Marc McAusland, while Paddy Cregg was suspended, with David van Zanten, Lee Mair and Sean Lynch being their replacements.

Milsom was a threat to St Mirren in his Aberdeen debut

However, the visitors carved out the first real opening of the game when on-loan Celtic forward Paul McGowan picked out Craig Dargo and the former Inverness Caledonian Thistle striker drifted past Rory McArdle before unleashing a low shot that went just wide of the target.

Yet Aberdeen had most of the pressure but were missing the inventive presence of the injured Sone Aluko, who had been replaced in the starting line-up with Josh Magennis.

Mair was in the right place to block Maguire's powerful volley and, from the resulting corner, defender Andrew Considine headed powerfully over.

The Dons were only threatening through set-pieces and mistakes in the St Mirren defence that handed half chances to Scott Vernon and Ryan Jack.

That was until Milsom started to adjust to the pace of the SPL and fired in a couple of long-range efforts, the first being blocked by the knees of goalkeeper Paul Gallacher and the second slipping just wide.

In between those efforts, Aberdeen lost experienced full-back David McNamee, presumably through injury, and he was replaced with Nikola Vujadinovic, whose loan from Udinese was extended this week.

Aberdeen boss Brown sent Magennis, who had been ineffectual on the wing, up front in support of Vernon at half time and the change paid off five minutes after the re-start.

Maguire, who had moved out wide, picked up a superb ball from McArdle, cut inside and curled it to the back post.

It might have been heading over the line in any case, but Vernon gathered the ball on his chest to make sure.

The duo combined again for Aberdeen's second goal after 67 minutes, with Vernon heading home from point-blank range following a Maguire cross.

St Mirren were looking a beaten side but squandered a chance to launch an unlikely fightback when Paul McQuade pounced on a defensive error with a chip that beat the goalkeeper but also cleared the crossbar.

When the final whistle blew, it signalled the fourth game in which the Paisley side have failed to find the net.

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