Aberdeen manager Stephen Glass has challenged his side to take the race for third place to the final day of the season.
The Dons moved to within three points of third-placed Hibernian following a 2-1 win at Livingston and will face Hibs at Pittodrie in their next game on May 13.
The delighted Dons boss said: “We’ve kept it alive. We knew the score from Easter Road at half-time, so it gave us a carrot to dangle in front of the players – can we set up a massive game next Wednesday?
“We know what we need to do, we know what we want to set up for the final day of the season.
“I’m just delighted for the players, they got the reward for their work rate today, and a bounce back from what happened last weekend.”
Callum Hendry and Ryan Hedges got the goals for Aberdeen in their hard-fought win and Glass was pleased to see such a strong response following the poor display in the 3-0 Scottish Cup loss to Dundee United last Sunday.
He said: “The group knew what the performance was last week, we knew what it meant.
“We knew the opportunity missed but we couldn’t do anything about it, all we could do was focus on this game and we did that.
“I knew from training the reaction that was coming and to be honest I have not been able to ask any more of the players since I came in, even with a poor performance against Dundee United.
“It wasn’t to do with a lack of effort, to me it was to do with other things we talked about after the game as a group.
“Looking forward I am delighted with what is here.”
The return of Hedges was an unexpected bonus for the Dons boss and the winger capped his 20 minute cameo with what proved to be the winner as Aberdeen booked their place in the Conference League this summer.
Glass said: “It’s like a new player. I think the club has missed him, I think the team has missed him.
“He showed his obvious quality. It feels like a new player for next season already.
“But with a few games left it’s a huge bonus.
“And it is testament to how hard he has worked to get back and testament to the medical staff and how hard they have worked.”