A superb 10th-minute goal by midfielder Paul Sheerin gave Aberdeen a narrow victory over Dunfermline at Pittodrie.
The former Ayr United man picked up a clearance outside the Pars' box and his wicked shot gave Dunfermline goalkeeper Derek Stillie no chance as the ball flew over his head and into the back of the net.
The goal was the highlight of the game and the Pittodrie men held on to register back-to-back league wins for only the second time this season.
But Dunfermline's woes were compounded when midfielder Ged Brannan, who had been booked in the first half, was sent off for a second yellow card on the hour after a dangerous two-footed tackle on Michael Hart.
There was little to excite the crowd in the early stages of the game until the 10th minute until Sheerin unleashed his strike.
The midfielder picked up a poor clearance and drilled a swerving shot over Stillie and into the back of the net for his seventh goal in his last nine games.
Dunfermline's response was a poor Craig Brewster header from a Lee Bullen cross in the 17th minute which went wide of the post before Brannan came close with a header which went narrowly over.
Dons wing-back Hart then sent Derek Young through on the right but his effort was poor and went well wide of the target.
Moments later, Young sent Steve Tosh clear but the midfielder's low shot from inside the box was comfortably saved by Stillie.
Dunfermline continued to battle and should have equalised in the 34th minute when Stevie Crawford broke down the left.
But, when his cross came over, wing-back Chris McGroarty should have done better with his first time shot from six yards out rather than shoot straight at Dons keeper Peter Kjaer.
Bullen came close when he headed a Barry Nicholson corner into the side-netting from close range.
After the break, Dons midfielder Fergus Tiernan broke into the box and cut the ball back for Tosh but the midfielder's fresh air swipe from only 10 yards out left him embarrassed and the Fifers defence eventually cleared their lines.
In the 53rd minute, Sheerin came close from the edge of the box when he curled a shot just over the Pars bar after being set up by Hart.
Pars manager Jimmy Calderwood went for broke in the 59th minute when he brought on Irishman Noel Hunt for the disappointing David Grondin to play three up front but a minute later his plans were scuppered.
Midfielder Brannan who was booked in the first half for a late tackle on Tiernan, was sent off on the hour mark for a second booking after a two-footed tackle on Hart, who was left writhing on the floor.
It was the Englishman's second red card since returning to Scottish football and, consequently, Crawford had to withdraw from attack.
Aberdeen sat back on their lead and invited Dunfermline to attack them but little was forthcoming.
Instead, Young should have made the points safe for the home side when substitute Kevin McNaughton, on earlier for Tosh, left the Dons striker with only Stillie to beat but he somehow managed to miss the target from eight yards
out.
In the dying seconds Dons midfielder Chris Clark missed a sitter to make it 2-0, blasting over the bar from 10 yards out.
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