Date	Saturday, 31 August 2019
Competition	Scottish Premiership
Fixture/Score	Aberdeen 3:0 Ross County
Venue	Pittodrie Stadium
Attendance	13,006
Referee	Nick Walsh
Comments	Match Report Report by Andrew Southwick for the BBC. Aberdeen 3 Ross County 0 Aberdeen posted their biggest Scottish Premiership win since January in a dominant 90 minutes against Ross County. After two league games without a goal, and no successes since the opening day of the season, the Pittodrie side rediscovered their scoring touch. Greg Leigh, Sam Cosgrove and Ryan Hedges scored before County's Billy Mckay rattled his penalty off a post. And Aberdeen missed chances to further increase the deficit. Manager Derek McInnes had called for his side to be more of an attacking threat, and he got the response he wanted from his side. However for County, it is now an alarming 10 goals conceded in three games, with two heavy defeats coming after a League Cup defeat by Partick Thistle. The number of changes made to both line-ups signified the struggles both have endured in recent weeks. Aberdeen's lack of goals and inability to keep a clean sheet had them already looking at this game as a must-win. County had conceded seven in two games before the trip. Cosgrove and Niall McGinn spurned early chances as Aberdeen started with a purpose. Their best football was coming when they were patient, knocking the ball about and getting McGinn and Hedges on the ball in advanced areas. But all too often they fell back into what they knew best - dropping deep and sending with long balls towards Cosgrove, who struggled to hold possession as County's back-line, including the returning Richard Foster, looked comfortable. The visitors frustrated Aberdeen early on, but two decisions went against them within three minutes and their game-plan was dismantled. Ross Stewart looked to be harshly penalised for a high foot and McGinn passed the free-kick short to Hedges, who picked out Leigh to head in the opener. Then goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw bundled over Lewis Ferguson in the box, and Cosgrove made it 10 goals in 10 games from the penalty spot. There are few players in Scotland with the ability to pick out a man as well as McGinn and he created the third when he flicked the ball on to his right foot and picked out Hedges at the back post to finish. Referee Nick Walsh equalled the penalty count when he penalised Funso Ojo for handball but Mckay's attempt struck a post. Ross Stewart would later curl an effort off the woodwork as luck deserted County. Aberdeen saw an opportunity for more goals. McGinn inexplicably put a Hedges pass the wrong side of a post, and Laidlaw pushed a fierce Cosgrove effort over. Hedges also hit a weak shot straight at the goalkeeper as Aberdeen opened up County and played with a freedom seldom seen at Pittodrie in the past few months. But the points were safe. Not since a 3-0 win over Hamilton had Aberdeen won a Premiership game by a three-goal margin. Hedges got a standing ovation from the Aberdeen fans, and no wonder. His direct play, trickery, and pin point crossing helped unlock County. His goal was the icing on the cake, in what was a cultured display, which saw him pull the County defenders all over the place, all afternoon. The Welsh international interchanged brilliantly with McGinn and, if that continues, Aberdeen would appear to have plenty to look forward to after the international break. Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes: "I'm really pleased with the approach. We were very positive with our work. We were bright, willing, kept asking questions of their back four. "That's us [in the transfer window]. We won't be losing anyone, and I think the budget is spent. If we've got a fully fit squad the bodies are here and the team is here to meet the challenge ahead." Ross County co-manager Steven Ferguson: "We felt we defended better than last week and that sounds funny when you lose three goals. "We were done by a couple of set-plays where we felt the decisions went against us slightly. We're not using that as a excuse, but we also feel we're not getting the rub of the green."
Ross County
Manager	Steven Ferguson Stuart Kettlewell
Starting 11	1: Ross Laidlaw, 2: Marcus Fraser, 5: Callum Morris, 7: Michael Gardyne, 9: Billy Mckay, 11: Iain Vigurs, 12: Tom Grivosti, 14: Joshua Mullin, 15: Keith Watson, 18: Richard Foster, 27: Ross Stewart 1
Bench	25: John Ruddy, 22: Simon Power, 24: Harrison Paton, 19: Brian Graham, 20: Blair Spittal, 23: Joseph Chalmers, 43: Josh Reid
Aberdeen
Manager	Derek McInnes
Starting 11	Joe Lewis, Zak Vyner, Michael Devlin, Andrew Considine 1, Greg Leigh 1, Funso Ojo 1, Lewis Ferguson, Craig Bryson, Niall McGinn, Ryan Hedges 1, Sam Cosgrove
Bench	Tomas Cerny, Jon Gallagher, Scott Wright, Connor McLennan, James Wilson, Bruce Anderson, Curtis Main