Aberdeen 1-0 Kilmarnock
After a gritty 1-0 victory over Kilmarnock pushed Aberdeen eight points clear of the Premiership relegation play-off spot with four games remaining, manager Stephen Robinson remained measured.
"Until someone tells me mathematically we're away from the play-off then we'll be continuing to work and build on that performance," the head coach told BBC Scotland.
It's the right attitude, but an eight-point cushion over Kilmarnock and six on St Mirren—with the threatened sides facing each other in the run-in—is comfortable. The win was a triumph of grit, not style, highlighted by a goal after 51 seconds. But it showed progress since Robinson's appointment in March, with Aberdeen securing back-to-back league wins for the first time since October.
Back to Basics for Aberdeen
Aberdeen also managed consecutive Premiership clean sheets for the first time since November. In wins over Kilmarnock and Hibernian, they conceded just 0.54 and 0.19 expected goals (xG) respectively, allowing only 26 touches in their box combined. That's a sharp improvement from the 2-0 defeat to St Mirren the previous week.
Defender Liam Morrison, once a figure of ridicule after his January loan from Queens Park Rangers, now looks more assured under Robinson. There are caveats—Hibs played with 10 men, and Kilmarnock hit the bar three times—but Robinson sees progress.
"We started brilliantly for 15–20 minutes, then looked nervous," he said. "But one thing not said about an Aberdeen side for a while is they're hard to beat, defended crosses well, and defended set-plays well. Their character was questioned all season, and to a man they stood up today."
'Can We Be Better on the Ball? Of Course'
A nearly sold-out Pittodrie saw a familiar story: a decent start that faded. This time, at least, they scored when on top. Afeez Aremu swept into the net in the first minute via a deflection. But Aberdeen struggled to maintain momentum after the opening flurry.
Robinson acknowledged the need for improvement: "We can be better on the ball, of course. But the foundation is there. We're hard to beat, and that's the first step."
With safety in sight, the focus now shifts to building for next season. Robinson's short tenure has brought stability, but the real work lies ahead.