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Aberdeen slipped four points behind Premiership leaders Celtic as they lost a lead and ended with 10 men against resurgent Motherwell at Fir Park.

Aberdeen's Kenny McLean converted a penalty on the stroke of half-time.

Scott McDonald levelled with an opportunistic header and Louis Moult made it two in two minutes when he clipped the ball beyond Scott Brown.

The Dons then had Barry Robson sent off for elbowing McDonald moments after coming off the bench.

It has been a remarkable week at Fir Park, ending with a fifth win in six matches for the Steelmen.

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Before kick-off there was bad news for the hosts when it emerged that James McFadden, whose season has been peppered by dreadful luck, had broken his ankle in training.

And Mark McGhee confessed the former Scotland star would have started in a line-up which showed three changes after a midweek virus had threatened to tear the manager's plans apart.

Aberdeen did everything but score in the opening spell in the glorious Lanarkshire sunshine, with Connor Ripley saving well from Dons skipper Ryan Jack and Simon Church pulling a shot wide, while McLean should have hit the target with a free header.

Motherwell's first real effort arrived after 21 minutes and it was beautifully engineered. Moult's cross was taken first time on the half volley by Marvin Johnson and the ball only just cleared the crossbar.

Moult then rattled Brown's right hand post after a headed lay-off from McDonald.

But the decisive period of the half came on 44 minutes after Motherwell were denied a free kick for a foul on Johnson right in front of the home dug-out. Referee Don Roberston waved play on and, following a sequence of fizzing passes, Jonny Hayes broke into the box only to be floored by Kieran Kennedy.

Robson was sent off for catching his former Celtic team-mate McDonald with an elbow

McLean scored from the penalty spot and as the teams left the pitch at half-time a clearly furious McGhee and Johnson waited to confront the official about the absence of a foul in their favour.

But the hosts' fury turned to delight after a spirited comeback in the second period.

Ripley was at full-stretch to push away a fierce McLean strike and an improvised overhead kick from Church grazed the crossbar as Aberdeen threatened on the break.

But McDonald, who once famously denied Celtic a title in a Motherwell jersey, this time did the champions a favour when he finished a game of head tennis with a looping equaliser on 72 minutes.

Moult then stunned the title hopefuls with a cute lob, taking advantage of a mix up between Mark Reynolds and goalkeeper Brown.

Aberdeen's afternoon got even worse when substitute Robson was red carded after catching McDonald with a leading elbow and there was no way back for the 10 men.