Kilmarnock have youngster Jamie Fowler to thank for the 2-1 win over Aberdeen at Pittodrie.

The youngster came on in the 32nd minute for Ally Mitchell and within five minutes set up Andy McLaren to give the visitors the lead.

A minute later Fowler himself grabbed a second after the Aberdeen defence had gone to sleep.

Arild Stavrum pulled a goal back for the Dons a minute before the break to give them some hope.

Despite second half pressure from the home side Kilmarnock hung on for a hard-fought victory.

The game began brightly and both teams had some early chances to score.

Alex Di Rocco should have given the Dons the lead in the first minute, but snatched at his shot from eight yards and sent the ball high over the bar.

Minutes later Eoin Jess turned inside Kilmarnock defender Sean Hessey, but his shot from the edge of the box was well saved by keeper Gordon Marshall.

At the other end Alan Mahood came close for Kilmarnock with a curling shot from the edge of the box which went narrowly past Ryan Esson's left-hand post.

Swirling winds were making conditions difficult for the players, but both sides sensibly tried to keep the ball on the floor.

In the 16th minute Jess had another chance when Stavrum sent him through, but Marshall once more came to the rescue, diving to his left to push the ball away.

Aberdeen were slightly the better side, but were rocked by a Kilmarnock double. In the 37th minute Craig Dargo raced down the right hand side and his cut back found Fowler at the edge of the box.

The youngster stabbed the ball to McLaren who shot from 16 yards past Esson. A minute later, with the Aberdeen defence sleeping, Fowler grabbed a second after racing through onto a Christophe Cocard ball to easily slot past Esson.

The home side were stunned, but bravely battled to get themselves back into the game.

They got their reward a minute from the break when Stavrum scored from close range from a Robbie Winters pass with the Kilmarnock defence claiming off-side.

Boosted by their late first half goal Aberdeen came out in the second half determined to get an early equaliser.

But the visitors kept calm and began playing some nice football in the middle of the park with McLaren in particular showing some great touches.

The wind continued to spoil the game but it was the visitors who seemed to cope best. But neither team could create any chances and play was confined to the midfield area.

On the hour Stavrum tried his luck from the edge of the box after turning inside Kilmarnock defender Peter Canero, but his shot was straight at Marshall who saved it comfortably.

At the other end Fowler blasted over from 18 yards after some nice play from Dargo.

As the second half wore on the visitors grew in confidence but were being pushed back deep into their own half.

In the 78th minute Stavrum should have equalised after he sprung the Kilmarnock off side trap.

But once again the Norwegian's shot from 14 yards was straight at keeper Marshall and the ball rebounded away for a corner.

Aberdeen continued to press, but Kilmarnock hung on desperately to take the three points which keeps them in third place in the table.