Aberdeen missed their chance to strengthen their grip on second place in the Scottish Premiership last night as a first-half collapse cost the Dons dearly against Rangers at Ibrox.
The Reds were a goal down in seven minutes, two down before the half-hour and fortunate not to be further behind after a poor opening 45 against the Light Blues.
Overrun and outplayed, it made for dismal viewing for the travelling support.
Aberdeen rallied in the second half only for their hopes of a comeback to be sunk by a third goal for the home side.
That it should not have stood is irrelevant; Aberdeen lost this game in the first half. The only consolation is they get the chance to make amends when Rangers visit Pittodrie on Sunday but they will do so without Ryan Christie following his late dismissal.
Dons manager Derek McInnes made one personnel change and a major tactical one for the game, with Kari Arnason restored to the lineup in place of Gary Mackay-Steven.
Arnason took his place in the middle of a three-man defence as McInnes switched to a 3-5-2 formation.
Rangers interim boss Graeme Murty had highlighted the double-header against the Dons this week as a chance for his players to lay down a marker of their intent this season.
The match was also a special one for former Aberdeen captain Ryan Jack, whose name was vociferously cheered by the Gers support in his first encounter against his hometown team.
As we near the pantomime season Jack is a villain of the piece among some Dons fans.
Some booed him on his return to Pittodrie earlier this month in the dark blue of Scotland and his every touch was jeered by the travelling support at Ibrox.
With Aberdeen holding a six-point lead on Rangers the home side’s need for a win was arguably greater and it showed in their start to the game as they swept into an early lead.
It was a gift from Aberdeen with Greg Tansey and Jason Holt colliding in the box and referee Andrew Dallas awarded a penalty which James Tavernier converted, sending Joe Lewis the wrong way in the Aberdeen goal.
A nightmare start for the Dons but the warning signs had been there inside the opening minute as Josh Windass just failed to connect with a Tavernier ball across the six yard box.
Aberdeen were struggling to get into what was a scrappy game and it took a fine fingertip save from Lewis to prevent his side falling further behind when he turned a Carlos Pena shot over the crossbar.
Aberdeen eventually mustered a threat when a Kenny McLean ball sent Stevie May clear but his attempted lob was saved by Gers goalkeeper Wes Foderingham.
The Dons were left to rue their missed opportunity as the home side doubled their lead.
Holt drove into space on the right and his ball across goal was sidefooted past Lewis by Pena.
The Dons were well and truly up against it but they missed two chances to get back into the game through Scott McKenna and May.
The system was not working and McInnes changed it two minutes before the break with Mackay-Steven coming on for Tansey. His arrival resulted in a change to back four but the winger found himself booked within seconds of his arrival for complaining about a penalty not being given in what was the last action of a miserable first half from the visitors.
The Dons looked much more comfortable in the second as they tried to get back into the game.
While they enjoyed greater possession they struggled to make it count, with a low Christie shot – saved by Foderingham – the best they could muster by the hour mark.
The Gers goalkeeper almost gifted Aberdeen a goal when he took a heavy touch but he managed to clear at the second attempt.
It was a marked improvement from the visitors but poor defending ended their hopes of getting something from the game with 20 minutes remaining as a Windass low ball across goal was swept into the net by the unmarked Tavernier.
The full back was offside when the ball was played but this was a night where everything which could go wrong for the Dons did and it got worse as Christie was sent off for a second bookable offence for a foul on Ross McCrorie.