Aberdeen 2-1 Falkirk

The Dons players celebrate after Chris Clark had doubled their lead

Aberdeen took all three points to stay in touch with Rangers in second place but it was Falkirk who took the plaudits after an excellent display.

Darren Mackie gave the Dons the lead when he clipped the ball over Jeroen Lambers and Chris Clark added a second just before half time.

Falkirk dominated the second period with Aberdeen camped in their own half.

Alan Gow scored a fantastic 20 yard effort as the Bairns fought back but they could not find an equaliser.

Interview: Falkirk manager John Hughes

Interview: Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood

Aberdeen made just the one change from the side that were narrowly beaten at Celtic Park last week with Jamie Smith, fresh from signing a two year contract extension, in for Andrew Considine.

John Hughes was forced to make changes from the team that ended a long Falkirk wait for a victory over Rangers.

Mark Twaddle was ruled out and replaced by Tam Scobbie with Steven Thomson and Stephen O'Donnell suspended. John Stewart dropped to the bench to accommodate the return of Anthony Stokes.

However, Scobbie could only last nine minutes as he went off following a hip knock and was replaced by Karl Dodd.

A lively start from both sides saw Alan Gow hit the post for the visitors but it was the Dons who took the lead with 17 minutes gone thanks to Mackie's eighth goal of the season.

Dempsey took a quick free kick which found Mackie in space and he clipped the ball over Jeroen Lambers and into the net.

There was another blow for the Bairns shortly after, this time in the goalkeeping department when they lost Lambers to injury after clashing with Mackie at the goal and he was replaced by Scott Higgins.

The visitors should have drawn level 15 minutes from the break when young player of the month Stokes latched onto a poor pass back from Michael Hart.

With the goal gaping, the Irishman could only send his miss-hit shot wide from six yards.

Chris Clark fires in the Dons second from 18 yards

Just as Falkirk were in the ascendancy, the home side struck again as the first half drew to a close and it was a cracker from Chris Clark - his first since February.

He dragged the ball onto his right foot and his shot from the edge of the box doubled the Dons advantage.

Despite the two goal deficit, it was the visitors who were on top as the second half got underway and they got their reward as Gow halved Aberdeen's lead with a superb strike.

After receiving the ball with his back to goal Gow turned Michael Hart in an instant, before jinking his way to the edge of the box and bending a powerful drive beyond Jamie Langfield from 20 yards to net his first goal of the season.

The visitors dominated the closing stages as the Dons struggled to make it out of their own half.

Man of the match Gow was pulling the strings as the Bairns looked for a deserved point but despite his and his team-mates best efforts, Aberdeen hung on for their fifth home win on the bounce.

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Aberdeen: Langfield, Hart, Anderson, Severin, Foster (Considine 74), Jamie Smith, Nicholson, Dempsey (Lovell 80), Clark, Miller (Touzani 87), Mackie. Subs not used: Soutar, Diamond, Daniel Smith, Maguire.

Booked: Lovell.

Goals: Mackie 17, Clark 44.

Falkirk: Lambers (Higgins 26), Ross, Barr, Milne, Scobbie (Dodd 10), Craig, Cregg, Latapy, Lima, Stokes, Gow. Subs not used: Uras, Mcstay, McManus, Stewart, Roberston.

Booked: Gow.

Goal: Gow 69.

Att: 10,594

Ref: J Underhill