If ever there was a result to typify Aberdeen’s season it was their long-awaited return to winning ways against Motherwell.
It’s just the way it has gone for them all season. Just when we think they are really struggling, they bounce back.
Leighton Clarkson’s winner ended a run of 11 league games without a victory at Fir Park.
But I need to see it over three or four games now, where they are showing that consistency.
Let’s try and get away from a lot of negatives that have been going on in the last few weeks, and give the boys a bit of credit for going down to one of the most difficult places in the Premiership and getting a win.
A lot of the players were saying interim boss Peter Leven has put a wee arm around them.
They have all been hurt and stung by the criticism. I have been in that situation and it’s horrible.
The older you get you begin to realise that’s just the way it works. The only way you can answer that criticism is by doing what Aberdeen did on Saturday.
I’m pleased for Kelle Roos who has been coming in for a bit of criticism – but he pulled off a number of great saves.
Perhaps a bit of luck went Aberdeen’s way with the two handball incidents.
It’s long overdue luck for the Dons, but that will be no comfort to Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell who was far from happy with the situation.
Dons have lifted spirits – but work far from done
Aberdeen are now only two points off Motherwell, so hopefully they can get themselves in gear.
There’s a big difference when you go through a bad time and then get a win at the weekend.
You come in and everybody has a smile on their face again.
They just want to keep that going now – and they will be itching for the next match to come around already.
It is all set up for a huge game against Ross County on March 30.
Peter Leven has done an excellent job since he came in, and the boys are taking to him while the hunt for Neil Warnock’s permanent successor goes on.
I won’t buy into Peter being considered for the job if they don’t have a manager in place and he gets another couple of wins.
IF Elfsborg manager Jimmy Thelin has been linked with the job but is saying he has not heard from anybody.
That said, he’s not going to say anything when there’s nothing concrete on the table for him.
We will need to wait and see where that one goes over the next few days.
Staggies have kept themselves firmly in the pack
Ross County remain firmly in the fight after Don Cowie’s side recorded an excellent win over Hearts.
The Jambos are in a funny situation because nobody is going to catch them in third, and they are not going to catch the top-two.
They are sitting quite comfortably and they may well have one eye on their semi-final next month.
That’s not taking anything away from County though. It was a good win against Don’s old team.
I’m pleased Don is getting the opportunity and it looks like they are responding to him.
County are now breaking away from Livingston and it will take a miracle for David Martindale’s side to pull anything out of the hat.
The Staggies just need to hang in there on the coat-tails of St Johnstone, Aberdeen and Motherwell, and give themselves a good chance going into the split.
If the teams go into the split on roughly the same points as they are now, every game is going to be absolutely vital.
It will be good for the fans – the neutral ones more so than anybody – but certainly not for the chairmen involved.
Seven vital games remaining for Inverness
Caley Thistle’s defeat at home to Ayr United leaves them two points adrift in the Championship relegation play-off spot – with seven games left to save their season.
You’ll be surprised at how quickly seven games will go. Inverness have had 10 draws, with seven wins from their 29 league fixtures.
Their goals against column is not too bad, but they need to score more.
When they are losing games they are losing them by the odd goal, and those 10 draws have really taken a lot of points off them.
There are some good attacking options there, but they just don’t seem to be hitting the net regularly enough.
There’s a bit of gloom hanging over the stadium with the position they are in, as well as the battery farm project being thwarted so far.
They are getting hit from all angles but they need to find something from somewhere to get them out of that.
They don’t want to go into a play-off against teams from the division below them.
Every game is a battle – but if anyone is up for it Duncan Ferguson will be.
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