The importance of this game was not lost on the Aberdeen players and they rose to the challenge as they moved into second place in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

In the event that they did not already know it, Derek McInnes, their manager, had hammered home the stark reality that at least three wins from their remaining four games of the season were required were they to finish as runners-up to Celtic.

One of their best chances of a victory was expected to come against Hearts last night with McInnes urging his flair players to turn on the style against opponents not known for their panache or invention. And so it turned out.

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First-half goals from Anthony O’Connor and Gary Mackay-Steven presented the visitors with an almost impossible hurdle to overcome, more so because their attacks were rare which allowed the hosts more freedom than they would have expected.

McInnes’s starting line-up showed three changes from the side that beat Kilmarnock 2-0 at Rugby Park at the weekend.

Niall McGinn returned after injury and Gary Mackay-Steven was preferred to Greg Stewart. Sam Cosgrove, a January signing from Carlisle United was given his first start and, as well as Stewart, out went Ryan Christie and Mark Reynolds, all three on the bench.

For the visitors, there were two changes following the weekend defeat by Rangers at Ibrox as Euan Henderson replaced Danny Amankwaa, a substitute last night, while Lewis Moore was in for Marcus Godinho.

Prior to this game the Dons were winless in their previous three Scottish Premiership matches against Hearts, having drawn two and lost one. They failed to score in any of those matches.

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However, Hearts themselves had come up short on that front on their previous three trips to Pittodrie and they never looked capable of changing that statistic in a lacklustre display, indicative of why they have won just one of their last 11 away games.

Even the Aberdeen players would not have imagined how easy a night they were to enjoy.

The hosts signalled their intent as early as the fourth minute when Graeme Shinnie, their energetic captain, deployed at left-back, fired-in a stinging 25-yard shot that Jon McLaughlin, the Hearts goalkeeper, could only beat away. But the hosts snatched the opener 18 minutes later as McGinn’s corner from the left was nodded down by the towering figure of

Cosgrove and Anthony O’Connor swept the ball home from three yards. Moments later, it was McGinn who came close. Stevie May’s perfectly-flighted free-kick into the area evaded all the Hearts players and it took a late stop from McLaughlin low on the goal-line to prevent McGinn’s effort from increasing the home side’s lead.

Those manoeuvres did much for Aberdeen’s confidence and May and Cosgrove stretched the Tynecastle side’s defence for long spells with McGinn and Mackay-Steven as their main providers from the flanks.

But it was the latter who increased Aberdeen’s lead, the goal coming in the 37th minute as he ran onto a delightful pass into the penalty box from McLean, departing for Norwich City in the summer, and his strike was placed out of McLaughlin’s reach and into the far corner.

Mackay-Steven’s long-range effort in the opening minutes of the second half, one that was wide, underlined the Dons’ commitment to keep on the front foot and look to add to their lead and although Hearts had other ideas, their attacks were restricted.

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Indeed, only another high-calibre save from McLaughlin in the 54th when he touched Cosgrove’s header over the bar, prevented another home goal.

The Hearts goalkeeper has had an excellent season for the Gorgie men and will be sorely missed when he heads back south at the end of the season.

McInnes, however, will recognise that the forthcoming games against Hibs, Rangers and Celtic will not be the stroll his team experienced last night as huge question marks arise over what kind of impact Hearts will make in the next campaign.

Certainly, there was little cheer to offer the loyal band of supporters who made the trip to the Granite City only to witness what was a toothless performance with Joe Lewis, the Pittodrie goalkeeper, have an easy time of it.

Aberdeen have now set the challenge for their rivals for second place as McInnes and his men hope that one of them will slip along the way as the pressure reaches new heights.