At this rate, Steve Clarke will be bringing his own witch doctor into Rugby Park to try to lift the curse Aberdeen have seemingly put on Kilmarnock. Despite the Ayrshiremen’s terrific recent run - they were aiming for seven leagues win on the spin - a quick glance at their record against Aberdeen remains about as upbeat as reading a statement from the Rangers PR department. In the last 16 meetings between the sides, Kilmarnock had lost 15. Chalk up another defeat now. Kenny McLean and Shay Logan, who both missed last week’s dismal Scottish Cup exit, returned to give the visitors some redemption and, importantly, inched them ahead in the race for second place. The last defeat Kilmarnock had suffered in the league was to Aberdeen way back in January. They were also ousted by the Dons in the last eight of the Scottish Cup in March.

“There’s no doubt the influence of key players that we didn’t have last week had a big bearing on the game today,” said McInnes. “McLean’s quality for the first goal separated the teams as there wasn’t much between them. We were good value for our three points. We have taken a bit of a kicking this week and it’s good for the players to get the reward of three points.”

After last weekend’s sobering Hampden mauling by Motherwell, Aberdeen had some serious wounds to lick. McInnes had described the grim aftermath of that sorry surrender as “your worst hangover” and getting back into the cut-and-thrust again after a week of raking over the debris must have been akin to having a sturdy hair of the dog to combat the general wretchedness. The visitors looked more like themselves in the early stages and only a fine save from Leo Fasan from Scott McKenna’s header barely two minutes in thwarted an Aberdeen breakthrough.

That initial burst of purpose set the tone for a lively, open encounter as both sides had their moments during a crisp, competitive first half. Kilmarnock’s best chance in this spell came via Alan Power, whose curling shot was palmed away by the diving Joe Lewis.

The visitors had demonstrated a willingness to have a go from distance but Kilmarnock custodian Fasan didn’t expect McLean’s raking effort which opened the scoring on 37 minutes. From some 30 yards, he unleashed a searing left-footed strike which whizzed in at the near post.

The hosts emerged with gusto after the break and Kris Boyd had a volley scrambled off the line while Kirk Broadfoot plonked a header over the bar.

There was a bit of pushing, shoving and finger-wagging which raised the temperatures as Aberdeen continued to frustrate the home side and that sense of agitation was heightened on the hour when Anthony O’Connor’s header was saved by Fasan only for Logan to sweep up the left overs.

Kilmarnock huffed and puffed but never looked like getting back into the match while Graeme Shinnie and Adam Rooney both had good chances to kill it off for Aberdeen only to be denied by Lewis.

Kilmarnock had been missing influential figures like Jordan Jones and Youssouf Mulumbu but while their absence was “disruptive”, Clarke maintained that his team could have “no excuses” during a brief summing up of affairs.