Aberdeen manager Steve Paterson was left to contemplate more than an upset stomach as Dundee defender Lee Wilkie salvaged a late point despite a thrilling Dons' fightback at Pittodrie.

Paterson was struck down with a stomach complaint this morning to leave assistant boss Duncan Shearer to deliver the half-time rollicking after a Steve Lovell penalty and a fine Fabien Caballero strike gave the Dark Blues a two-goal cushion.

But the Dons struck back in the second period with two goals in seven minutes from former Inverness man Paul Sheerin.

Defender Phil McGuire then struck with 10 minutes remaining to complete a remarkable comeback to cheer the bed-ridden Paterson.

However, Scotland international Lee Wilkie struck within 60 seconds to earn a point for the Tayside club.

Aberdeen set the tempo from the start when Wilkie almost gifted them an opener after being beaten in the air by Leigh Hinds.

Steve Tosh latched onto the knockdown and tried to beat Julian Speroni with a snapshot but blazed it over the crossbar.

But the Dons were left to rue two defensive lapses as Dundee raced into the lead.

Steven Milne's ball-juggling skills frustrated Michael Hart to such an extent that the defender handled the ball in the area in the 15th minute before Lovell slotted home.

Then, eight minutes later, Jamie McAllister's poor header fell into the path of the former Portsmouth striker, who then waltzed past two defenders and gave the ball to Caballero.

The forward took one touch of 16 yards out before thrashing it across Peter Kjaer into the far corner of the net.

Dundee could have added more goals before half time, with both Milne and Lovell forcing Kjaer into saves.

But Shearer must have been heartened early in the second half when the Dons got themselves back into the match.

Derek Young chested the ball down inside the area for former Inverness man Sheerin and, although Zura Khizanishvili looked certain to intercept, he simply blasted the ball low and hard into the net from 16 yards.

Just seven minutes later, Chris Clark found Sheerin inside the area with a clever pass and left his team-mate in a great scoring position.

Sheerin simply put his head down and unleashed an unstoppable drive across Speroni and into the far corner of the net.

Dundee's players looked shellshocked when the ball went in, having lost a similar lead to Kilmarnock last weekend.

Dens Park boss Jim Duffy introduced Nacho Novo to his attack with 17 minutes remaining to replace Lovell.

And the game exploded into action as the final 10 minutes beckoned, with two goals in quick succession.

McGuire latched onto a Kevin Rutkiewicz cross and nodded the ball past Speroni.

Then, from the re-start, Dundee broke upfield and restored parity when second half substitute Novo sent a cross over into the area for Wilkie and the defender swept the ball into the net from six yards.

Dundee could have snatched the points with the final kick of the ball when Novo broke down the right and fired in a shot but his effort went wide of the post.

Teams

Aberdeen: Kjaer, Hart, Rutkiewicz, McGuire, McAllister (Payne 82), Tosh, Darren Young, Sheerin, Clark, Hinds, Derek Young (Mike 78).

Subs Not Used: Preece, Tiernan, Michie.

Booked: Darren Young.

Goals: Sheerin 57, 64, McGuire 80.

Dundee: Speroni, Mackay, Wilkie, Khizanishvili, Mair, Smith, Rae, Brady, Caballero (Robb 87), Lovell (Novo 73), Milne.

Subs Not Used: Langfield, Hernandez Santos, Hutchinson.

Goals: Lovell 16 pen, Caballero 24, Wilkie 81.

Att: 12,119

Ref: I Fyfe (Scotland).