A much improved second half display was enough to give Aberdeen all three points at St Johnstone.
Jonny Hayes grabbed the only goal of the game as the Dons beat Saints 1-0 to move within four points of third-placed Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership.
It was a far from sparkling display from the visitors but Hayes’ goal means interim boss Paul Sheerin can hand over the reins to new manager Stephen Glass having led the Dons to back-to-back victories.
Sheerin made two changes to the side which won at Dumbarton in the Scottish Cup a week ago for his final game in charge.
Callum Hendry was ineligible against his parent club St Johnstone while Calvin Ramsay dropped to the bench. Jack MacKenzie and Matty Kennedy were the players who came into the starting line-up.
St Johnstone went into this game having scored just eight goals in 16 home league matches this season but they still showed far more of an attacking threat than the Dons could muster in the first half.
Chances were few and far between but Saints were by far the livelier of the sides. Joe Lewis did not have a save to make but the Aberdeen captain faced some nervous moments due to the pressing of the home side.
In terms of an attacking threat, the Dons offered nothing in a poor first half showing prompting Sheerin to replace Flo Kamberi with Fraser Hornby for the second half.
The change gave the Dons a much needed threat in the final third and it took them just seven minutes into the second period to make the breakthrough as Jonny Hayes ran on to a Kennedy through ball to fire past Zander Clark.
Hornby should have opened his account for the Dons midway through the second half when Niall McGinn found him unmarked at the back post but the striker headed into the side netting.
Saints pushed for an equaliser in the closing stages and Shaun Rooney went close with a header which came back off the post.
