Neil Barrett's second-half strike gave Dundee the win they needed to move out of the Bank of Scotland Premier League relegation position and peg Aberdeen back in the race for a UEFA Cup place.

The Englishman struck in the 57th minute to give his side a well-deserved win over the 10-man Dons, who had Steven Craig sent off for violent conduct.

He kicked out at Barrett, making things even more difficult for boss Jimmy Calderwood, who lost Alexander Diamond and Fernando Pasquinelli to injury during the 90 minutes.

Both sides had chances in the opening 10 minutes but neither could find a way through.

First Dundee tried to capitalise on a rare Diamond slip but Steve Lovell's shot cannoned off a defender and away.

Aberdeen broke quickly at the other end and would have taken the lead had it not been for Barry Smith, who bolted back to clear Russell Anderson's header from under the crossbar after Derek Soutar missed Chris Clark's corner.

Soutar atoned for his error in the 12th minute by diving acrobatically to beat away Anderson's vicious 20-yard shot.

He showed good agility again eight minutes later to deny Richard Foster, who found space at the back post and tried to sneak a right-foot shot under the goalkeeper's body.

Anderson was clearly determined to get a goal and came within inches of doing so with a header from Scott Severin's corner kick. The ball appeared to be sailing into the far corner of the net, but eventually spun agonisingly wide.

Dundee looked dangerous on the break and Barrett had Dons goalkeeper Ryan Esson beaten in the 32nd minute with a spectacular looping shot. He bolted to celebrate on the far side, but did so on his own as his team-mates spotted the linesman's raised flag.

Esson, in for the suspended David Preece, enhanced his chances of staying in the team in the 35th minute with a wonderful fingertip save to stop Sutton's 20-yard shot sneaking in the bottom corner.

Calderwood's plans were disrupted just before half-time when Pasquinelli, who scored twice in a win over Kilmarnock a fortnight ago, hobbled off to be replaced by Craig.

Dundee ended the half in the ascendancy and continued in the same vein after the break, eventually opening the scoring in the 57th minute.

Fabian Caballero, who, by his own admission, has yet to hit top form after returning to the club in October, showed his genius by brilliantly holding the ball up inside the penalty box until reinforcements arrived.

Steven McNally rushed in and threaded a neat pass to Barrett, who calmly slotted a shot into the bottom left-hand corner of Esson's goal from 10 yards out.

Diamond, who had been injured in a clash of heads with the goalscorer minutes previously, was unable to continue and trooped off. Calderwood brought on Scott Muirhead and drew Markus Heikkinen back into defence.

His plans were thrown into utter disarray in the 67th minute when substitute Craig was red-carded for a moment of extreme stupidity. The fiery striker kicked out at Barrett after the Englishman innocently barged him over as they went for a ball on the touchline.

With his side already behind and minus two players because of injury, Calderwood let Craig know the strength of his feelings as he sloped off.

Aberdeen tried to chase the game and were unlucky not to be punished by Brady after they left space for Barry Smith on the right. His sweeping crossfield pass landed at the former Newcastle man's feet, but he shot straight into the goalkeeper's arms.

Anderson was desperately unlucky not to bring his side level with six minutes left, but his drilled shot from 10 yards rebounded off the post. They threw everything into the dying seconds, but could not find a way past Soutar, who stood firm and helped ease his side away from the relegation trapdoor.

Teams:

Dundee: Soutar, McNally, McDonald, Sancho, Barrett, Brady, Smith, Robb, Caballero (Jablonski 90), Lovell, Sutton.

Subs Not Used: Murray, Mann, Wilkie, Larsen, Fotheringham, Cerdeira.

Goals: Barrett 57.

Aberdeen: Esson, Hart, Anderson, Diamond (Muirhead 58), McNaughton, Clark, Heikkinen, Severin, Foster (Stewart 66), Mackie, Pasquinelli (Craig 38).

Subs Not Used: Blanchard, McGuire, Morrison.

Sent Off: Craig (67).

Att: 7,310

Ref: S Conroy (Scotland).