"We started as we had finished at Celtic Park, but just as we're coming into the game, Hornby and (Florian) Kamberi were influential and just as we're getting settled, Hornby goes down injured.

"The good thing was that Hendry comes up trumps with the goal. (Niall) McGinn's delivery was real quality and it's good for Callum to get off the mark.

"We had to deal with the physicality of Kilmarnock – they seemed to get bigger and bigger, but we dealt with it well.

"We've had 17 clean sheets this season and that's been important for us, but we're searching for more goals."

Kilmarnock boss Tommy Wright felt his side deserved to take a share of the points, but conceded that they shot themselves in the foot in allowing Aberdeen to take the lead.

He said: "I thought we'd done enough to get a point, probably not enough to win all three. It's the same old story. We shoot ourselves in the foot.

"It's a soft free kick. We gave Hendry the freedom of the penalty box.

"We had a great chance to equalise through Nicke (Kabamba) and second half we had good possession against a good side. We've given everything to try to get back in the game.

"Ultimately a severe lack of quality in terms of putting quality into the box for the strikers."