KENNY McLEAN'S frustration at his failure to grab a goal in the second half of last season following his high-profile move to Aberdeen from St Mirren in January, has all but been erased.

Yesterday, he stunned Dundee United with a late winner, his first league goal for his club and his third in four games, the two others coming in Europa League action for Aberdeen against HNK Rijeka and Kairat Almaty.

It was an unusual goal, the energetic midfielder crouching in order to make contact with David Goodwillie's poor cross into the United area eight minutes from the end when the home side looked the wearier of the outfits, despite their opponents' 7000-mile trip from Kazakhstan following Thursday night's 2-1 defeat to Kairat.

McLean's looping header flummoxed an out-of-position Luis Zwick and ruined United's day.

It capped a man-of-the-match performance by the former St Mirren man, praised for his efforts by Derek McInnes.

"As an away team, we managed the game with a level of control," the Aberdeen manager said.

"I thought we let United off the hook with our poor delivery of the final ball.

"Coming to Tannadice with everything we had to endure prior to this game, the fitness levels and determination of the players is what we should be talking about.

"We're all here to try and wins things, not to mess about. We want to get on and try and achieve something.

"Kenny came as a goal-scoring midfielder. A lot was expected of him and he was perceived last season not to be doing as well as he might have but that's because we paid a fee for him, out of the ordinary these days.

"He's had a good couple of weeks and scored three important goals."

It was well-documented that, in the corresponding fixture last season, McInnes felt his failure to freshen-up his side following a Europa League tie against Real Sociedad three days earlier had been instrumental in a 3-0 defeat for the Dons at Pittodrie.

He made four changes to the starting line-up on duty in Kazakhstan with Niall McGinn, Peter Pawlett, Ryan Jack and Goodwillie named as substitutes and McLean, Willo Flood, Adam Rooney and Cammy Smith filling their places.

The attacking play on offer from the first whistle was not unexpected. United set the Aberdeen defence challenges once or twice in the opening exchanges while Graeme Shinnie, buzzing in midfield, tested Zwick with a low drive from a right-wing position before trying his luck with a 20-yard effort that was too close for Zwick's comfort.

Moments later, Danny Ward, his counterpart at the other end of the pitch blocked a sizzling strike from United's Chris Erkine to set a pattern, certainly for the first half which became livelier as it progressed.

Blair Spittal and Jonny Hayes, electrifying on the left flanks for both sides, produced several openings with the respective defences displaying the kind of concentration required in such circumstances.

Arguably, the best chance in that first 45 minutes came towards its close as Mario Bilate found himself through one-on-one with Ward in a crowded area, though the goalkeeper, on a season-long loan from Liverpool, somehow kept the ball out, blocking the ball with is body and contributing in a staggering way.

Bilate's removal for the second half, with McNamara asking Darko Bodul to deliver, underlined his inability to make any sort of dent in the stoic defence of Ash Taylor and Paul Quinn.

There was a moment shortly after an hour's play, however, when Mark Durnan's back-header from Spittal's well-weighted free kick, caused the visiting centre-backs to wobble, but they were grateful for Ward's finger-tip save low at his left-hand post.

For Zwick, on the other hand, there was an occupational hazard of being clattered as he rose for a Shay Logan cross into his six-yard box, then watching from ground level as Andrew Considine placed the loose ball towards goal only for Ryan McGowan rescue the home side with a clearance off the line.

And then to the match-winner, as McLean did the damage and left Jackie McNamara, the Tannadice manager, downcast at the end.

"I don't think Aberdeen had any real chances," he said, "and I don't think we deserved to lose.

"I though Bilate was going to put away his chance and their keeper pulled off a great save, otherwise the game could have changed.

"It's a thin line between winning and losing and I don't think our young centre-backs – Coll Donaldson and Mark Durnan – had too much trouble during the match."