Date	Sunday, 27 September 2020
Competition	Scottish Premiership
Fixture/Score	Ross County 0:3 Aberdeen
Venue	Global Energy Stadium at Victoria Park
Attendance
Referee	William Collum
Comments	Match Report Report by Thomas Duncan for the BBC. Played Behind Closed Doors Ross County 0 Aberdeen 3 Marley Watkins' "important" goal in Aberdeen's 3-0 Scottish Premiership win against Ross County can be the first of many for the striker, says manager Derek McInnes. The Wales international headed in his first goal for the club to open the scoring in Dingwall. Two Lewis Ferguson penalties rounded off the win against 10-man County. "He's been different class since he came, leading the line brilliantly," McInnes said of Watkins. "But every striker needs to feel like they're contributing with goals and hopefully that's him on his way now. "His overall game was outstanding today but the goal is so important to strikers and hopefully now we get the benefit of that." Aberdeen stay fourth despite victory, but close to within two points of Hibernian, with two games in hand. Defeat keeps Ross County in sixth place in the Premiership. After last week's unexpected thumping at the hands of Motherwell was followed by Europa League defeat by Sporting, Aberdeen arrived in Dingwall seeking to wrestle back momentum having won their previous six matches. In both losses, Aberdeen were undone by early goals and McInnes was keen to emphasise the importance of a strong start. His side responded with a surge of chances inside the first eight minutes, as Niall McGinn volleyed over, Scott Wright smacked a post with a close-range shot, and Watkins and Ross McCrorie forced good saves from Ross Laidlaw. McGinn saw his effort crack the post as the Pittodrie side kept coming, with increasing frustration at their profligacy. But just as half-time loomed, Watkins rose above Alex Iacovitti to flick home Hayes' fine cross for his first Aberdeen goal and provide the Pittodrie side with the reward their play merited. And after a cautious start to the second-half, Aberdeen took the decisive step towards victory when McCrorie was played through only to be felled by Iain Vigurs when he only had Laidlaw to beat. The Ross County captain was the last man, and was promptly sent off by referee Willie Collum. Ferguson rolled in the resulting penalty to double the visitors' lead, and was given another chance from the spot 15 minutes later when a cross into the box struck Reid's arm. He despatched once more despite a touch from Laidlaw, as Aberdeen cruised to their fifth win in seven league games this season. Aberdeen can score goals. Despite a good start to the season, the Pittodrie side had only found the net more than once in a league match this season on a single occasion. And though two of their goals came from the penalty spot, they created enough chances from open play to merit an even greater scoreline. They moved the ball at pace, with Hayes and Ryan Hedges tormenting Ross County's full-backs throughout. As for the home side, their defensive efforts are often criticised and last week against St Johnstone they showed exactly how a team should defend their penalty box. Unfortunately, they never got started here and could have been finished off before the break. They will need to tighten up with a visit to Ibrox and then a visit from Hibernian to come. Ross County manager Stuart Kettlewell: "It was clearly our worst [performance], that's as poor as we've been all season. "I just felt from the first minute to the last we never competed in any aspect of the game. I thought every facet of it was well short of where we've been. Aberdeen were better than us all over the pitch." Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes: "I think you've always got a bit of trepidation after a European trip and the amount the players had put in, the travelling back. The focus and intensity at the start of the game we banged on about was clear and that pleased me no end. "It was a proper team performance."
Ross County
Manager	Stuart (Ketts) Kettlewell
Starting 11	1: Ross Laidlaw, 7: Michael Gardyne, 8: Oliver Shaw, 11: Iain Vigurs 2 1, 15: Keith Watson, 16: Alexander Iacovitti, 22: Jordon Tillson, 24: Harrison Paton, 25: Coll Donaldson, 27: Ross Stewart, 43: Josh Reid
Bench	21: Ross Doohan, 3: Carl Tremarco, 5: Callum Morris, 9: Billy Mckay, 10: Michael O'Connor, 17: Regan Charles-Cook, 18: Stephen Kelly 1, 44: Matthew Wright, 47: Adam Mackinnon
Aberdeen
Manager	Derek McInnes
Starting 11	Joe Lewis, Tommie Hoban, Andy Considine, Niall McGinn, Ryan Hedges, Ash Taylor, Johnny Hayes, Lewis Ferguson 2 (2 pens), Scott Wright, Ross McCrorie, Marley Watkins 1
Bench	Shay Logan, Funso Ojo, Dylan McGeouch, Connor McLennan, Tomas Cerny, Bruce Anderson, Ronald Hernandez, Jack Mackenzie, Ryan Edmunson