Interim boss Peter Leven praised Aberdeen’s character for bouncing back from their Hampden heartache to take a huge step towards Premiership safety.
The Dons beat 10-man Motherwell 1-0 in the opening bottom six post-split fixture courtesy of a second half Stefan Gartenmann header.
Victory substantially reduces the threat of being dragged into relegation play-off trouble.
Aberdeen are now eight points ahead of 11th-placed Ross County who occupy the play-off spot as the Staggies lost 2-0 to Livingston.
There are only four Premiership fixtures remaining.
Leven admits his side were still feeling the effects of last weekend’s dramatic penalty shoot-out Scottish Cup semi-final loss to Celtic.
However they dug deep to extend a Premiership unbeaten run to five games.
Now Leven has challenged the Dons to end the season in seventh place, their highest possible finish.
Leven said: “The character was brilliant.
“I played it down this week and told the players they would be fine and they weren’t tired.
“But you could see some of them were still feeling the effects of it (semi-final).
“I have set them a challenge to finish as high as possible – seventh.
“Our first two games after the split are at home and I wanted to take advantage of that.
“You always have that worry that you have that dip after last week’s emotions but I thought the boys’ character was brilliant.”
‘We looked a bit tired’
Motherwell were reduced to 10 men on the hour mark when Jack Vale was red carded for a foul on Jack MacKenzie.
Well boss Stuart Kettlewell was furious at the red card and confirmed the club will appeal the dismissal.
Under Leven the Dons have delivered three successive clean sheets in the league, four in the last five games.
That is half the Dons’ league clean sheet count having delivered only eight Premiership shut-outs in 34 matches this season.
Playing a back four and starting Angus MacDonald have made a difference and brought solidity to what was a damagingly porous backline.
Leven said: “We looked a bit tired to begin with and were trying to force the passes.
“But when we do play it quickly between the lines we look a very good team.
“The tempo wasn’t as good in the first half.
“We weren’t punching it through the lines or making enough options for the guys on the ball.
“I told them they needed to up the tempo and they did that.
“We had some good moves at times and on a whole I think we could have scored more.
“I’m happy with the clean sheet and three points.”
Uninspiring opening 45 minutes
There was one change to the Aberdeen starting line-up from the Scottish Cup semi-final.
Winger Junior Hoilett came in with Duk dropping to the bench.
Skipper Graeme Shinnie was absent as he served a one-match Premiership suspension having been sent-off in the 0-0 draw with Dundee.
Motherwell created the opening opportunity in the sixth minute when Stephen O’Donnell fired in low six yard drive from a tight angle, but Kelle Roos blocked.
Aberdeen threatened in the 22nd minute when Bojan Miovski sent an acrobatic bicycle kick from four yards was wide.
In the 45th minute Dante Polvara’s vicious, swerving drive from the edge of the box flashed inches over.
Gartenmann heads home winner
Aberdeen were left frustrated in the 53rd minute when Angus MacDonald’s powerful six yard volley beat keeper Liam Kelly but Lennon Miller cleared off the line.
Motherwell were reduced to 10 men in the 56th minute when Jack Vale was red carded for a reckless challenge on MacKenzie.
Aberdeen capitalised on the extra man when going ahead.
The Dons were awarded a corner in the 60th minute despite the ball appearing to come off Gartenmann.
From the resultant corner Gartenmann met Hoilett’s corner and directed a 10 yard header into the far corner.
Aberdeen came close in the 68th minute when Hoilett played Miovski through on goal with a defence-splitting through ball.
Miovski flicked the ball over diving keeper Kelly and Hoilett followed it in at the back post, but his effort was inches wide.
Gartenmann came close when meeting a Hoilett corner but his six yard shot was just wide.
In the dying minutes Hoilett’s 25-yard drive was tipped over the bar by keeper Kelly.
ABERDEEN (4-2-3-1): Roos 6; Devlin 6, MacDonald 7, Gartenmann 7, MacKenzie 6 (Jensen 74); Barron 6 (Duk 70) Polvara 6; McGrath 7, Clarkson 6, Hoilett 7; Miovski 7 (Sokler 90).
Subs not used: Doohan, Hayes, Phillips, Duncan, Milne, Rubezic.
MOTHERWELL (3-4-2-1): Kelly 6; Casey 6 (Halliday 70), Blaney 6, McGinn 6; O’Donnell 6 (Mugabe 81), Zdarkovski 6 (Nicholson 70), Miller 7 (Moses 81), Gent 6 (Shaw 87); Vale 4, Spittal 6; Bair 6
Subs not used: Oxborough, Ebiye, Ferrie, Wells, Butcher
Referee: Craig Napier
Attendance: 14,794
Man-of-the-match: Junior Hoilett (Aberdeen)
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