Three second half goals from Jayden Stockley, Adam Rooney and Wes Burns gave Aberdeen a commanding first leg lead against Ventspils in the second qualifying round of the Europa League.
The Dons huffed and puffed for long spells until the introduction of Stockley swung the game in Aberdeen’s favour and they will travel to Latvia next week confident of progressing to the third round for the third year in a row.
McInnes gave Rooney, who has been on the bench for both games in the first qualifying round against Fola Esch, his first start with Stockley dropping to the bench alongside new loan signing Wes Burns.
The Dons manager made three changes in total from the side which lost 1-0 at Fola Esch with Mark Reynolds replacing Anthony O’Connor while Niall McGinn, who was rested for the trip to Luxembourg, replaced Peter Pawlett.
The Dons made a bright start with Kenny McLean wasting a great chance to give his side an early goal when he headed Jonny Hayes’ cross wide from six yards but the early chance was the only one the home side created in a dour opening half hour.
McInnes’ side were in need of inspiration and it came from Graeme Shinnie before the break when he forced Ventspils goalkeeper and captain Maksims Uvarenko into his first save of the gamebut the goalkeeper blocked the shot before his defence cleared the danger as McLean tried to convert the rebound.
The pressure intensified towards the Latvians’ goal in the closing minutes with Shinnie’s looping header landing just wide but the Dons did not make the breakthrough before the break.
McGinn saw his free kick saved before Shay Logan’s attempt to convert the rebound was turned round the post as the Dons pushed for an opener within minutes of the second half getting underway.
It was turning into a struggle for the Dons and McInnes had to make a change, sending on Jayden Stockley for McLean and switching to a 4-4-2 formation.
The move worked wonders.
Stockley had been on the pitch all of four minutes when he headed Hayes’ cross home to put the Dons ahead in the 72nd minute and just three minutes later Rooney doubled the lead when he fired the ball past Lewis to make it 2-0.
Bristol City forward Wes Burns then capped a spirited finish from the Dons as he came off the bench to head McGinn’s corner home with his first touch to give the Dons a 3-0 win.
