Aberdeen keep up pressure on Celtic thanks to Adam Rooney winner

A solitary Adam Rooney striker kept Aberdeen within touching distance of Ladbrokes Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic as the Dons took the spoils from a scrappy clash with Dundee.With the Hoops facing St Johnstone on Saturday, they will have an opportunity to extend the gap at the top to six points once more, but Derek McInnes' side just keep hanging on to their coat-tails.The Dons looked the more likely winners even from the opening moments of the game and by the interval centre-back Ash Taylor could had a hat-trick.He and Dundee goalkeeper Scott Bain seemed to be having their own personal duel, with the former Dons shot-stopper twice denying Taylor in a matter of seconds before even 10 minutes had passed.Both chances came from corners, Bain first pushing a strike over the crossbar before blocking from close range.Aberdeen keeper Scott Brown was called into action, narrowing the angle to block a Kane Hemmings drive, before the hosts took the lead after 14 minutes.Johnny Hayes was perhaps fortuitous to get the break of the ball off Kevin Holt as he advanced down the right flank, but he took full advantage, angling a low ball across goal.It was a teasing cross and Rooney responded in kind, showing plenty of desire to slide in at the back post and bundle the ball over the line.Just before the half hour, Taylor should have finally found the net as he rose to meet a Hayes corner, but this time his effort was off target.Hemmings had another go at goal, forcing a diving save from Brown after a great cross from Greg Stewart.And on the stroke of half-time, it was Taylor again who got an effort away, this time clawed away on the line by the goalkeeper.There was a blow for Dundee almost immediately after the interval when left-back Holt was forced off through injury after a collision with Shay Logan, youngster Cammy Kerr deputising for the former Queen of the South man.And Aberdeen should have extended their lead just before the hour. Niall McGinn's cross from the left was missed by David Goodwillie, but Rooney arrived unmarked at the back post, only to blaze over when it seemed harder to miss.However, they had a bit of an escape when Taylor misjudged a header back to Brown, Logan having to step in to prevent Gary Harkins taking advantage.Dundee pressed for a leveller, but that left space at the back and Graeme Shinnie looked to take advantage in the dying stages with a cross-shot from the left, but it would have taken something special to catch out the impressive Bain.In the final minute of normal time, Harkins should have levelled the scores after Rory Loy had flicked on a right-wing corner, but from close range he sent the ball well wide of target.