Alan Mannus is among the more sure-footed keepers in the country but the Irishman was cursing an early slip that proved costly at Pittodrie.
Saints left the Granite City bemused by a fourth failure to find the net against a side seemingly destined for second place.
An early strike from recalled youngster Ryan Jack, which deceived the Perth No 1, saw the Dons follow up a midweek win over Celtic with an undeserved three-point haul.
Saints dominated much of the contest but debutant Michael O’Halloran missed a sitter before half-time and was out of luck with a 25-yard strike which crashed back off the post with keeper Jamie Langfield beaten all ends up.
Throw in a couple of Lee Croft opportunities saved by the Dons custodian and largely one-way traffic after the interval and it was no surprise that McDiarmid manager Tommy Wright found it hard to credit there wasn’t at least a point to show for his team’s efforts.
Rubbing salt in his wounds, he lost substitute Steven MacLean to a controversial second yellow card in the closing minutes, just days after the striker had celebrated a brace in his comeback game against Motherwell.
Keeper Mannus admitted: “Given how we dominated the second half it’s strange to come away with nothing. I slipped for their goal and if I hadn’t it would have been a comfortable save for me.
“I couldn’t see the ball so I leaned to my left and as I have done that he has hit it to my right. I tried to push off and my foot gave way. That makes it even more frustrating.
“We hit the post and had a couple of shots blocked but the second half performance was brilliant and we should have got something out of it. It would have been a brilliant point up there.”
Mannus admitted fine displays against high-flying Motherwell and the Dons augured well for their bid to secure top six status for a third successive season, and the looming Scottish Cup quarter-final clash with Raith Rovers.
“At the start of the season if you’d asked anyone in our squad they’d have said we’d have done well to make the top six again. It would be disappointing not to make it after coming this far.
“Raith are going to be tough but hopefully we can get into the next round of the cup. I missed the League Cup semi-final defeat from Aberdeen. The club is bigger than me but it would be nice for me personally to reach another semi-final.”
Saints manager Wright made two changes to the line-up which defeated Motherwell in midweek, with MacLean rested and dropped to the bench along with Nigel Hasselbaink, with David Wotherspoon recalled and O’Halloran up front.
Dons’ matchwinner Jack returned to action after a five week lay-off and wasted no time in making an impression.
The youngster cut inside, leaving James Dunne grounded and from a central location tried his luck from 22 yards in the eighth minute.
It wasn’t the most powerful of connections but it deceived Mannus and slipped beneath him into the net.
In the 21st minute Gary McDonald threaded a pass through to the feet of Croft and, while the winger eased past a defender, his low left foot shot was saved by Langfield, before Mannus gripped a raking Adam Rooney shot.
The Dons keeper was called into action again in the 26th minute to clutch a curling 18-yarder swept goalwards by Wotherspoon. Saints enjoyed plenty of possession but O’Halloran squandered a gilt-edged chance to level in the 37th minute.
Stevie May got his reward for harrying when the ball broke kindly off the corner flag and his cross worked its way back to the former Bolton’s centre’s feet six yards out.
But somehow the striker scooped his left foot shot wide of the gaping target, to the obvious relief of exposed keeper Langfield.
Seconds from the interval O’Halloran passed up another chance, miscuing his shot after neatly controlling Brian Easton’s cross.
Minutes after the restart slackness from Andrew Considine almost allowed May and Croft to cash in but they had to settle for a corner.
Around the hour mark, Croft got in a header from another Easton delivery but it lacked the force required to beat the keeper.
Then the former Oldham midfielder stole in behind Considine but an anxious Langfield got a vital touch to edge it wide for a corner.
Saints had the Dons on the back foot and came even closer to a deserved leveller in the 67th minute when O’Halloran left two defenders in his wake and crashed a venomous 22-yard shot back off the upright with Langfield beaten.
Saints continued to threaten until MacLean was sent off for tripping Dons sub Nicky Low with minutes to go.
Wright was exasperated with referee Willie Collum’s decision, stating: “I am baffled by it. The fourth official said it was reckless but there is no consistency and it was a poor decision.
“If we are going to send people off for fouls like that every time we will end up with seven-a-sides.
“I am gutted for the players. We missed chances but created them against one of the best teams in the country. Playing to that standard we can look forward to another top six finish.”
Dons boss Derek McInnes hailed his 18th clean sheet of the season but felt his players had suffered a reaction for their efforts in bring Celtic’s unbeaten run to an end.
“I’m sure Saintts will be kicking themselves they didn’t make more of their chances,” he said.