He could be forgiven for asking:

"Why me?" But Mark Brown is happy to be in the firing line as Ross County's number one, having been told at the start of the season that his first-team days were over.

Had he not been at his best in this one-sided affair, as Aberdeen found a rhythm and an irresistible attacking flair, the scoreline would have bordered on the embarrassing for the Staggies, who might have found themselves a couple of goals down long before Adam Rooney's headed opener in the 20th minute.

Brown has been recalled by new manager Jim McIntyre - whose post-match assertion that "we face a huge challenge" was a big understatement - just when he thought his career had been brought to a shuddering halt by Derek Adams.

"I was disappointed at being left out of the team," said Brown, "and the former manager had asked me to do the goalkeeping coaching. He saw me as a coach this season and I wasn't too keen on that.

"When I was told I was playing at Aberdeen I just wanted to do my best for the team. I'm still doing the goalkeeping coaching. I had discussed it with the former manager and I think he saw me more just as a coach. I'm still only 33 and I didn't feel ready not to challenge for a place in the team.

"I felt a little bit as though I was being edged into that role when I didn't really want it, but at a football club everybody's in it together."

Brown was left impotent when David Goodwillie's header made it 2-0 in the 26th minute and the visitors struggled to reach territory beyond the halfway line. Only twice did they create half-chances - both for Rocco Quinn - and each was squandered.

Peter Pawlett's strike early in the second half underscored Aberdeen's domination, and it brought a slight slowing of the hosts' tempo, though Goodwillie hit the base of the post when an empty net beckoned.

Livingston will pitch up at Pittodrie tomorrow night in the third round of the League Cup and they will recognise that what awaits them are a team now looking well into their stride following an indifferent start in the league.

Rooney, a fixture in the Aberdeen side in the Europa League, has played second fiddle to Goodwillie in the league as the fans wondered whether Derek McInnes, the manager, felt they could not work effectively together. "Everyone has good understanding," Rooney insisted, "and it is important that we can push each other on to get in the team. The more players we have competing for the first team the better.

"I wasn't here at the start of last season but I think we made a similar start. It was a bit stop-start, we would win a game and then a draw or a defeat. With three home games coming up we hope to get that consistency and push on. I think we have improved the season over the summer which is a good thing when you consider how well we did last season. People are fighting hard for positions and you have to make sure you push as hard as you can to stay in team."

As Livingston ponder the tactics they might deploy tomorrow night to dampen the energy and pace within an Aberdeen side that could make space for two or three seldom-used members of their squad, County look forward to the visit of fellow strugglers Hibs to Dingwall. Easter Road was Brown's workplace before moving north two years ago and he has sympathy for the position in which his former employers find themselves, languishing seventh in the Championship.

"It's disappointing to see a club of that size in that position," he said. "They've brought in some quality players and they haven't had the start they've been looking for. It'll be a difficult game on Tuesday night. We need to get our confidence up."