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Kilmarnock missed a late penalty as Aberdeen cut the gap on Premiership leaders Celtic to five points.

Craig Slater, who levelled for the hosts with a fabulous strike after the break, had a weak effort saved by Scott Brown after the goalkeeper had felled Lee Miller in the box.

Adam Rooney put the Dons ahead with a close-range header on 40 minutes.

And Cammy Smith was also on target with a header from a Niall McGinn cross to consign Kilmarnock to the bottom six.

Rooney's goal was his 26th of the season and means he has scored against every top flight side in a fruitful campaign.

That both of the visitors' goals came from McGinn deliveries came as no surprise.

The Northern Ireland international curled three terrific crosses into the box inside the first 15 minutes, with Rooney flashing a header narrowly wide from the second.

With Aberdeen dominating possession, Craig Samson then made a smart save to keep out Smith's shot as the home defence struggled to clear their lines.

Kilmarnock, who needed a win to keep alive their faint hopes of a top-half finish, allowed the visitors far too much time and space on the ball in the first half and were seldom seen as an attacking threat.

However, the hosts did have good reason to feel aggrieved. Tope Obadeyi shrugged off Willo Flood to race into the box, only for referee John Beaton to blow for a very soft foul against the winger, who was in the process of attempting to round Brown.

With half-time approaching, Aberdeen made the breakthrough as Donervon Daniels stuck out a foot to meet McGinn's free-kick from the left and the ball flew across the six yard box for the alert Rooney to nod in.

The second half was only two minutes old when Kilmarnock restored parity thanks to a wonderful goal.

Obadeyi was able to stride forward unopposed and squared to Slater, who looked up and planted a firm strike inside the near post from 22 yards.

Moments later, Killie went close to a second as Chris Johnson hammered a shot across the face of goal.

With the Ayrshire side suddenly snapping into tackles and pressing hard, Aberdeen were knocked out of their stride, although Samson had to turn away a Jonny Hayes shot from 18 yards.

But Brown was also being kept busy and did well to keep out a firm header from Josh Magennis.

With the game evenly balanced, Aberdeen restored their lead to a chorus of angry boos from the home support.

Kilmarnock thought they should have had a foul when Mark Reynolds brought down Magennis, but play continued and McGinn twisted away from his marker on the right to find the unmarked Smith with another good cross.

The teenager could not miss with a free header right in front of goal.

Johnson fizzed another shot off target and Killie were handed the perfect chance to level in stoppage time when Brown bundled substitute Miller over but the keeper atoned by keeping out a dreadful spot-kick.