Aberdeen's superb home run in the SPL came to an abrupt end with a 3-0 defeat by third-placed Livingston in front of 15,709 fans at freezing Pittodrie.

The majority of the game looked like a Saturday kick about at a public park, but Livvy deserved their win which leaves Dons' boss Ebbe Skovdahl needing to rally his side to get back on track for a top six finish.

Both sides started rather nervously with neither creating any chances in the opening minutes.

The first effort on goal came with almost 10 minutes gone. Ben Thornley's free-kick was headed on by Eugene Dadi but Roberto Bisconti's volley was well off target.

David Bingham then did well to turn past Russell Anderson before sending in a great cross for Davide Fernandez to chase, but Dons keeper Peter Kjaer was first to the ball and the danger was cleared.

Livvy's first chance came on 19 minutes as the Dons' defence stood ball watching, Fernandez racing towards the edge of the box.

With the defence fast catching up, the striker was forced to release an early shot but the effort went wide of the post.

Midway through the half Robbie Winters cut inside from the right wing and his cross to the back post was met by Darren Young. The midfielder did not quite get enough on the ball however and his header was easily held by Nick Culkin in the Livvy goal.

Young was next to have a go at goal but, as with almost every other effort, the ball went spinning wide of the target.

At the other end, Barry Wilson tried a snap-shot from distance which sailed over the bar.

As play swung back to the opposite end, Cato Guntveit somehow managed to miss the target from eight yards as he latched on to the end of yet another cross supplied by the ever busy Winters.

The visitors then had a great chance on the half-hour mark as Fernandez broke away from the Aberdeen defence, but his shot went straight to Kjaer who managed to punch away the striker's effort.

As the game livened up, so too did the tackles and Livingston had John Anderson and Oscar Rubio booked in the space of a few minutes for a couple of rash challenges.

Livvy missed another chance when Wilson worked his way into the box, but Kjaer did well to dive at his feet, with the defence mopping up the danger.

However that only delayed the opener, which duly came with seven minutes left of the first half.

Fernandez picked out Bingham and, as his scuffed shot went across the face of goal, Steve Tosh nipped in to slip the ball into the bottom corner, with Kjaer rooted to the spot.

Dons' keeper Kjaer looked to be struggling towards the end of the first half with what looked like a knee or shin injury and he was replaced at half-time by substitute keeper, Ryan Esson.

Livvy looked to extend their lead and Wilson's cross was headed just wide by Bingham before the best move of the match led to Livvy's second goal on 57 minutes.

Fernandez laid the ball short to Tosh who spotted Phillipe Brinquin free at the edge of the box, and when the ball was laid square the Frenchman looked up and struck a screamer of a shot into the top right hand corner of the net, leaving Esson helpless.

The Dons then brought on Darren Mackie in place of the disappointing Thornley, and the youngster was involved in Aberdeen's next attack, the striker having the time and space to cut the ball back from the by-line but choosing to shoot for goal only to find Culkin standing strong in the Livvy goal.

With 67 minutes gone the visitors killed off the game with their third goal. After failing to deal with a corner out on the right, the Dons' defence failed to clear their lines and the ball found its way back out to Wilson on the wing.

His cross deep into the Aberdeen box found Marvin Andrews and the tall defender rose unmarked to head home past Esson.

Fernandez then became the third Livvy player to have his name taken by the referee when he was cautioned for a foul on Bisconti.

Aberdeen should have scored as the game entered its final 10 minutes with Winters close-range effort taking a deflection before going out for a corner.

Teams

Aberdeen: Kjaer (Esson 45), Anderson, McGuire, Whyte, McAllister, Guntveit, Darren Young, Bisconti, Thornley (Mackie 61), Winters, Dadi (Derek Young 75).

Subs Not Used: Solberg, Zerouali.

Livingston: Culkin, Rubio, Andrews, Anderson, Brinquin, Quino, Tosh, Bingham (Makel 81), Bollan, Wilson (Xausa 85), Fernandez (Caputo 77).

Subs Not Used: McEwan, Hart.

Booked: Rubio, Anderson, Fernandez.

Goals: Tosh 39, Brinquin 58, Andrews 67.

Att: 15,744

Ref: D Somers (Scotland).