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KILMARNOCK..1 ABERDEEN..2 GAVIN BERRY AT RUGBY PARK

KILMARNOCK have earned a reputation as this season’s comeback kings but Aberdeen turned the tables on them in a smash-and-grab Rugby Park win.

Lewis Ferguson was the late goal hero for the second week in a row to make it a huge hat-trick of wins in eight days for the Dons.

Ferguson struck a free-kick with two minutes left after substitute Bruce Anderson’s second-half strike cancelled out Kris Boyd’s penalty opener in what were Aberdeen’s only two shots on target in the entire game.

Before yesterday’s visit by Dons, Killie had conceded the first goal in their previous seven games but fought back to win four and draw two of those.

On this occasion Steve Clarke watched his side strike first as Boyd netted his first league goal in six months in his first start since August. That looked like the winner as the Reds offered little until an inspired double substitution by Derek McInnes sparked a bit of life into his side.

Stevie May was thrown on at the break and was followed by youngster Anderson who replaced the ineffective James Wilson. Anderson turned in Niall McGinn’s shot just four minutes after his 68th-minute introduction with his equaliser coming out of the blue.

But if that was a sickener for Killie it was nothing compared to the Dons’ late winner as Ferguson curled his set-piece beyond Jamie MacDonald after Kirk Broadfoot’s foul on Graeme Shinnie

It completed a dream week for the teenager after he’d headed Aberdeen into the Betfred Cup Final at the death against Rangers the previous Sunday.

Aberdeen, who also defeated Hamilton in midweek, are just outside the top six on goal difference ahead of Friday’s crucial clash against Hibs.

It was tough to take for Killie. It had looked so good after Boyd netted from the spot on the half hour.

The striker has made more headlines with his punditry than his goalscoring prowess this season but he used his right boot here before celebrating by putting his hands over his imaginary huge waistline in response to Red Army taunts. The Killie skipper should have scored before his spot-kick when he headed wide from Stephen O’Donnell’s brilliant cross from the right.

Moments earlier the striker also had a penalty appeal waved away when he went down under Max Lowe’s challenge.

But opportunities were at a premium. O’Donnell’s angled shot was just wide of the post after a neat one-two with Aaron Tshibola the only real effort of note before Killie eventually got the breakthrough.

Scotland full-back O’Donnell was again involved with a powerful shot Joe Lewis could only parry and the ball headed out for a corner. Chris Burke tried to follow it up but even if he’d succeeded he wouldn’t have been able to score from the tight angle. Yet Logan inexplicably tripped the winger which left Bobby Madden with no option but to point to the spot.

Boyd made no mistake as he tucked a shot low into the bottom left hand corner that left Lewis with no chance.

The Dons had to show a reaction and Greg Taylor – making his 100th appearance before celebrating his 21st birthday today – was booked for hauling down Gary Mackay-Steven to prevent a sweeping attack. And Logan followed him into Madden’s book for a foul on Aston Villa loan winger Tshibola.

After a dismal 45 minutes it was no surprise McInnes made a change at the break with May replacing Dom Ball. But it was the Dons gaffer’s next substitution that made all the difference.

On-loan Man United frontman Wilson was replaced by Anderson and the youngster got a vital touch to divert McGinn’s shot beyond MacDonald.

Kilmarnock still threatened with Alan Power firing just over the crossbar.

But it was the Dons who nicked it with Ferguson stepping up to curl a low free-kick beyond MacDonald and round off a memorable week.