Late double spares blushes for lacklustre Aberdeen
below-par performance proves enough to lift dons up to fourth in spl table
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Andrew Considine and Sone Aluko spared Aberdeen from an embarrassing draw with St Mirren last night as the Dons finally took one of their chances to move into the SPL top six with a late flourish to see off stubborn opponents.
In what was a dire 90 minutes at Pittodrie, the Dons defender struck 10 minutes from time before Aluko secured the points. The victory lifted Jimmy Calderwood's side to fourth in the SPL, but the Aberdeen manager will know his players have to do much better than this if they want to stay there.
Following the first half debacle at Tannadice on Saturday, Calderwood made two changes to his side, with Considine and Charlie Mulgrew returning to the starting 11 in place of Jared Hodgkiss and Jeffrey de Visscher. The Dons manager also made a tactical switch with his side starting with a 3-4-1-2 formation; Aluko given the free role behind Lee Miller and Darren Mackie.
The emphasis was on stretching a St Mirren defence which has been one of the meanest in the SPL this season and while the Dons pushed forward at will, they left gaping holes down the flanks which St Mirren had willing runners willing to exploit.
Sadly, the quality was lacking in the final third for both teams in a frustrating opening 20 minutes with the only chance of note coming from a Mulgrew corner which caused havoc in the Saints box. Scott Severin saw his shot blocked on the line before Zander Diamond swung a leg at the ball, only for it to be deflected wide.
On a dismal, rainy night, set-pieces were the only occasions in the first half where the Dons threatened, and Lee Miller went close with a 20-yard free kick which was blocked by Saints keeper Mark Howard, who had been booked for handling the ball outside his box. The rebound fell the wrong side of the on-rushing Mark Kerr, who looked destined to net his first goal for the club.
If there was one piece of consolation for the home side, St Mirren were no better as an attacking force. As strong as the Buddies have been at the back, they looked woefully inadequate in the final third, but that would not have mattered to Saints manager Gus MacPherson at what has historically been a difficult venue for his side.
The terrible play of the home side proved too much for the supporters by the midway mark of the second half and the boos started. With no cohesion, no invention and no shots on goal, it was difficult to argue with the reaction of the fans as this was easily the worst performance of the season.
If there was one player who had shown drive and determination for Calderwood's team it was Kerr, and it was fitting the former Dundee United player had a hand in the goal which changed the mood. Collecting a punch out from the Saints keeper on the edge of the box, Kerr exchanged passes down the right with Severin before working his way into the box and laying the ball back to Considine, who beat Howard with an excellent rising shot from 14 yards.
The goal caused Saints manager MacPherson to go for broke in the hope of salvaging a point, but his side were caught when Miller sent Aluko clear on the counter attack and the winger advanced on Howard before beating him with a low shot into the bottom corner.
ABERDEEN – Langfield, Mulgrew (Hodgkiss 80), Foster, Diamond, Considine, Young (Maguire 75), Severin, Kerr, Aluko, Miller, Mackie.
ST MIRREN – Howard, Ross, Miranda (Robb 83), Mason (McGinn 81), Haining, Potter, Murray, Dorman, Mehmet, Hamilton (Wyness 75), Cuthbert.
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