Mclean and Shinnie shine for Boyd as the Dons bounce back

from us. I’m disappointed not to keep a clean sheet but pleased with the three points.”

Aberdeen could hardly have scripted it better as Shinnie and Mclean took less than a minute to ram Boyd’s words of criticism down his throat.

It was a simple pass from Shinnie on the left side to set up Mclean, pictured, who drove into the Killie box and hammered a low right-foot shot past Jamie Macdonald.

The only surprising thing was that Mclean, who was outstanding all day, did not run to the Killie bench where Boyd was sitting to give him a wave.

The Dons effectively had the game won after 12 minutes when May’s header firstly hit Kirk Broadfoot then Stephen O’donnell before flying past Jamie Macdonald.

They should have had a third when May slammed home Gary Mackay-steven’s cross in 46 minutes but it was ruled out for offside.

So when Lewis misjudged Jones’ strike in 67 minutes it gave Kilmarnock some hope when they should have had none.

May made certain 15 minutes from time when he took Andrew Considine’s pass and twisted away from Broadfoot and Gordon Greer to drive a low shot into the left corner.

To make matters worse for Killie they had Jones sent off in the final minute. Having been booked just before he scored, he collected a second yellow for going in late on Shay Logan.

Kilmarnock manager Steve Clarke said simply: “It was a very bad start. It was game over after ten minutes.

“There was no point thinking about trying to get back into it after a start like that.

“It was a really slow start, we didn’t get out of the traps and the game was over after ten minutes. You can’t give good teams like that a twogoal start. I don’t know what caused the bad start. You guys have seen us play over recent weeks – there had been no sign of anything like that. It’s a big mystery.” Dundee United remain in top spot but it was bottom side Brechin City who emerged with more credit after a 1–1 draw at Glebe Park.

Scott Mcdonald swept home a cross on 29 minutes to give United the lead but Sean Crighton headed home an equaliser. United’s Tam Scobbie was sent off in injury time after his second booking.

Brechin manager Darren Dods said: “We could have won and that would have been a great reward for players who continue to give everything.”

St Mirren have the chance to go top when they face Livingston tomorrow and they go into that game on a high after winning 2-0 at Inverness.

The hosts fell behind when Ian Mcshane netted from the penalty spot after Liam Polworth fouled Kyle Magennis on 52 minutes. Then they lost Iain Vigurs