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Jonny Hayes scores winner for Aberdeen

Inverness fall three points behind leaders Dundee United

Caley Thistle suffer third straight away defeat

Aberdeen record third straight home win

Jonny Hayes scored the winner for his current club against his former one as Aberdeen earned back-to-back league wins for the first time this season.

Josh Meekings powerfully headed Inverness into a 16th-minute lead.

But Adam Rooney pounced on a slack Gary Warren header to round goalkeeper Dean Brill eight minutes later, before Shay Logan fired the Dons 2-1 ahead.

Marley Watkins flicked in an equaliser before the break, but Ross Draper's mistake led to Hayes' winner.

On this form, consecutive wins are not going to be a rare feat given the attacking flair that makes Aberdeen a much more potent force at home this term.

The Dons managed just 21 goals at Pittodrie last season, but they have now scored 12 in the last four matches on their own patch.

The reason is not hard to find as the embryonic partnership of David Goodwillie and Adam Rooney is packed with promise, with the former looking like the player that so impressed as a youngster at Dundee United.

Goodwillie's hold-up play and use of the ball was exceptional and it was his blocked shot that allowed Hayes to clinch the win on the hour-mark by ramming in the rebound.

Dons manager Derek McInnes made three changes to the side that thrashed Livingston in Tuesday's League Cup tie, one of those enforced after Ryan Jack was carried off during that 4-0 win.

It is an indication of the strength in depth at Pittodrie nowadays that former Caley Thistle and Scotland midfielder Barry Robson was Jack's replacement.

Yet it was Inverness who hit the front after 17 minutes from a set-piece that Aberdeen really should have defended much more effectively.

Greg Tansey whipped a wicked free kick in from the right and Meekings got away from his marker to head in his first goal of the season,

Aberdeen's leveller was a mixture of good fortune and good finishing as Warren was slack with a header back to Brill and Rooney pounced.

The man who made his reputation at Inverness rounded the goalkeeper calmly before rolling in his 11th of the season and fifth in the last eight days.

Right-back Logan shot Aberdeen in front just before the break, benefitting from more quality hold-up play from Goodwillie.

The former Brentford player then bagged an unwanted assist when Caley Thistle equalised early in the second half.

Following Logan's attempted tackle, the ball broke to Watkins, who delicately lifted it over goalkeeper Jamie Langfield for his second goal in successive matches.

It was another uncharacteristic mistake, this time from Draper, that let Aberdeen in for the winner and they will look to build on that when St Mirren travel north on Tuesday.

Josh Meekings (left) opened the scoring for Caley Thistle

Adam Rooney equalised for Aberdeen

Shay Logan sent the ball beyond Dean Brill to put the home side 2-1 up

Marley Watkins (left) levelled for Caley Thistle to tie the scores at 2-2

Jonny Hayes fired the winner for Aberdeen