Aberdeen 0 St Johnstone 1 – Pittodrie Stadium 24.05.15

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May 252015
 

Saints super sub Chris Kane was the difference between the two sides in the final Pittodrie fixture of the season, opines Voice reporter Andrew Watson.

merklandandrewFine weather promised to make the pairing a fair and even contest.

However, Derek McInnes’ generosity in awarding starts for departing Nicky Low and Joe Shaugnessy conspired to make his gentlemanly gesture look disrespectful to the visitors.

A hard working and stubborn St Johnstone side gave as good as they got, but had retiring Dons captain Russell Anderson been the only nominal addition to the starting eleven things could’ve panned out much differently.

However, this second string Reds team went close a few times, usually with winger Jonny Hayes being the common denominator in any given attack.

One can’t help but ponder, though, what could’ve been.

What if they had the attacking defensive play of Shaleum Logan? What if they had the as of late midfield command and dead ball specialty of Barry Robson?

What about the man who needs no justification, Adam Rooney?

None of these three were even on the bench.

Moving on, two minutes into the second half, Lawrence Shankland came on for Low.

56 minutes in, defender Mark Reynolds came off the pitch replaced by young gun Scott Wright. The latter was a pleasure to watch and wasn’t afraid to take anyone on.

0-1 (Kane) after 70 minutes. The substitute helped instigate the attack, scoring instantly.

Ten minutes later, Frank Ross replaced Cammy Smith.

It was gutting to see off Anderson in such a way, in a match they really should’ve been able to turn out positively, especially given that it was a home game.

I dare say Low served his purpose last season, but I am genuinely sad to see Shaughnessy move on, who I’ve always considered a solid player with an authoritative stature ideal for the Scottish game.

Final score:  0-1.

Aberdeen 0 Celtic 1 – Pittodrie Stadium 10.05.15

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May 112015
 

Aberdeen hoped for a consolation win over league champions Celtic but fell short, says Voice reporter Andrew Watson.

pittodrie2Spitting rain threatened to unfurl in the skies above Pittodrie, but thankfully held back. In fact a dull day soon turned into uncharacteristic Scottish sunshine.

Aberdeen were sportsmanlike enough to give the Hoops a guard of honour before the game for securing the championship, though went all out with their rivals during the game to discard the conduct of gentlemen in favour of gamesmanship.

Some would argue that the Parkhead men were dirty, and abetted by an official secretly donning Celtic’s colours under his garb of referee.

The Dons started strong, though one of their best efforts, through ex-Celt Barry Robson, went just wide. His next effort was closer, though straight at the keeper.

Although it took Celtic awhile to establish themselves, thereafter they cottoned onto Aberdeen’s methods and moved to nullify them.

After the break, Celtic made a point to rectify their slow start in the first half. Slackness from Robson gave opportunity for the men in green and white to exploit.

0-1 (Scott Brown) after 49 minutes.

56 minutes into the game, striker David Goodwillie came on the pitch replacing Adam Rooney. Thirteen minutes later, Robson came off replaced by Peter Pawlett.

Niall McGinn had good chances to equalise on a few occasions. He would have been on top of his game conversion-wise if he’d been playing rugby, though.

At the other end of the pitch keeper Scott Brown kept the Reds in the game at least two or three times with some spectacular saves.

Three minutes before the death Lawrence Shankland came on for Ryan Jack. Five agonising minutes of injury time were added to those tense, sometimes bad tempered, 90 minutes.

The latter substitute came close to goal with a diving header via a cross from Jonny Hayes.

In conclusion, Aberdeen frequently tried the Celtic back four though the latter formed a curtain meaning their keeper was rarely tested. Consolidation or improvement will only come if Aberdeen figure out how to take points from Celtic next season.

Final score:  0-1.

Aberdeen 1 Dundee United 0 – Pittodrie Stadium 18.04.15

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Apr 202015
 

This New Firm derby developed into a fiery encounter with plenty more to talk about than the solitary goal, says Voice reporter Andrew Watson.

merklandandrewIt was a mild Saturday afternoon with a cool wind blowing, though not enough to drastically alter the play or nature of the game.

The visiting Tangerines haven’t been playing too well as of late, but the Reds could not, and did not underestimate their east coast adversaries.

I once said before, regarding a previous encounter between the Dons and Arabs, that if every player attacked the game with the same sense of urgency as Willo Flood, then it would’ve been an entirely different spectacle.

This time, however, his recent form didn’t suggest this would again be the case. His wayward passing of late has been particularly woeful. Passing sideways, passing backwards; forever negative.

Perhaps though, Flood versus Dundee United is akin to Eoin Jess versus Rangers; always turning it on against their most bitter of rivals.

Again, he was the proverbial bull in the china shop, launching into every tackle. And again, there were boos for him, and Barry Robson, from the away crowd for the duration.

However, it was only fair that he was, again, awarded Man of the Match in this particular tussle of a fixture.  His work ethic, again, almost singlehandedly propelled the Reds’ engine room in the centre of the park.

Despite this, it was striker Adam Rooney who grabbed the headlines after 39 minutes.

Captain Mark Reynolds exploited a lapse of concentration amongst the Tannadice back four and managed to put a ball across the box for Rooney to meet, and find the back of the net.

1-0 Aberdeen!

Rooney came close, but no cigar, in the second half, too; and although United weren’t remarkable it wasn’t all one way traffic.

They forced keeper Scott Brown into a couple of fine saves. His involvement increased after 71 minutes when Robson was sent off for a seemingly dubious elbow on United’s Charlie Telfer.

Ryan Jack came on the pitch four minutes later in place of Niall McGinn. The industrious Flood left the pitch as Donervorn Daniels was drafted in a minute after normal time.

Both switches were aimed to shore up the backline after losing such an influential figure in Robson. The game, more so after his dismissal, became frenetic and bad tempered.

This, I suppose, made the victory all the more gratifying. Okay, they’ve drawn out narrow one nil victories in the past, but rarely have they done so having been reduced to ten men.

Hopefully, they might make Celtic sweat in the race to the top of the table.

Final score:  1-0.

Aberdeen 1 Inverness CT 0 – Pittodrie Stadium 08.04.15

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Apr 102015
 

Aberdeen edged Inverness with one goal in a ‘best of the rest’ battle, says Voice reporter Andrew Watson.

merkalndpic2It was ideal conditions at Pittodrie for the last night’s evening kickoff.

There were some close chances for the Dons in the first half, although they lacked that killer touch within and around the box.  Both Niall McGinn and Adam Rooney came close; the former with a delightful chip over the keeper going just wide of the post.

Inverness, on the other hand, had a few chances themselves, perhaps not as clear cut.

Their defence, though pegged back for the duration, were resolute and robust in their dealings with the Aberdeen attack.

Time and time again they were put under pressure, but coming out of it unscathed. Reasonably good, bar a few slipups, communication and a siege mentality served them well.

It was looking as if it would be a second consecutive goalless draw for The Reds at Pittodrie, albeit a more exciting fixture. That did change slightly in the second period, though.

Two minutes in Ashton Taylor converted Barry Robson’s pinpoint corner kick. Tall Taylor glanced his header into the bottom corner.

1-0 Aberdeen!

Kenny McLean came on the pitch on the 70 minute mark, with Peter Pawlett coming off.

Aberdeen were maybe a little unlucky to come away only one goal ahead.

It went from siege mentality to being under siege as Shay Logan thumped the underside of the crossbar amidst a flurry of chances for the home side. Rooney also had a strike chalked off for offside.

It’s good to finally get the monkey off the back after that frustrating draw with the other Jags of the SPFL.

Final score:  1-0.

Aberdeen 0 Partick Thistle 0 – Pittodrie Stadium 04.04.15

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Apr 052015
 

An abject Aberdeen side will be kicking themselves after promising not to underestimate their Thistle opposition, only to escape undeservedly with a point, reports Voice’s Andrew Watson.

pittodrieIt was a dreich afternoon at Pittodrie, and a sizeable Red Army, given the fact this couldn’t exactly be termed a big match, had formed from all corners of the pitch.

Their voice, a resounding and at times frustrated one, should’ve spurred their team to glory from the stands. Pity it didn’t.

Lawrence Shankland was given a start up front, and seemingly justified his selection with two near chances in the early stages.

Though in all honesty more experienced players should’ve been on the pitch, if indeed they took their Firhill adversaries seriously in the slightest. Jonny Hayes’ work on the wings, supplying excellent balls, was kind of put to waste.

So why didn’t Niall McGinn start, let alone David Goodwillie or Peter Pawlett?

Granted, McGinn did come on the pitch on the 55 minute mark, with Shankland subbed. Willo Flood also came off for Pawlett.

26 minutes later Cammy Smith came on for Kenny McLean.

Overall, Partick had at least two good chances of their own, and much closer ones at that. Aberdeen really should’ve been a goal down by the final whistle.

It’s telling that the loudest cheer from the home crowd came as they gleefully celebrated the Thistle forward putting the ball just inches wide.

And although it seemed at times the referee was against them in the heat of the tackle, and that the linesmen were ignoring the offside rule to benefit of the Jags on the attack, the Dons shouldn’t have needed their help.

Two or three uncharacteristic slipups by Celtic are required to stand a chance in hell of somehow pinching the elusive league title.

Final score:  0-0.

Aberdeen 2 Motherwell 1 – Pittodrie Stadium 13.03.15

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Mar 142015
 

Aberdeen fought back from a goal down in a messy and sometimes bad mannered affair, writes Voice reporter Andrew Watson.

merkalndpic2It was a snatch and grab for the Pittodrie side.

They gained two goals in quick succession from a Motherwell back line that made costly errors.

This undone the vital one goal lead the Steelmen gained very much against the run of play.

It was 35 minutes into the game that manager Derek McInnes sought change in his ranks, taking off Donervorn Daniels, replacing him with wing ace Peter Pawlett.

Their man, Lee Erwin, unleashed a shot from outside the box. Keeper Jamie Langfield, back after Scott Brown’s Parkhead display against Celtic, could only look on as Erwin’s teammate Scott McDonald pounced to make that all important touch to put it across the goal line.

0-1 Motherwell (McDonald) only two minutes after said substitution.

Come the second half the dynamics of game changed slightly.

Five minutes into the final forty five, 50 minutes into the game, Ashton Taylor was a free man as an in swinging corner met his head just yards from goal.

Their keeper was nimble yet somehow turned it into his own net.

1-1!

Things went from bad to worse for Motherwell as the Reds, two minutes later, found the back of the net.

This was via some opportunistic poaching from Adam Rooney, punishing some slack defending as confusion reigned between the hapless keeper and his four charges.

2-1 Aberdeen!

Barry Robson replaced David Goodwillie on the 78 minute mark. Twelve minutes later substitute Pawlett was himself taken off, in favour of comeback kid Clark Robertson.

Aberdeen could’ve pushed for that decisive third goal, though it never came.

Having said that, it was refreshing to see them go a goal down and recover.

Perhaps they’d become too accustomed to winning outright and simultaneously grinding out clean sheets. Maybe it shows the diversity in their methods for victory; their versatility.

Final score:  2-1.

Aberdeen 3 St Mirren 0 – Pittodrie Stadium 21.02.15

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Feb 222015
 

Ex-Buddie Kenny McLean helped Aberdeen romp to victory against St Mirren at Pittodrie, remarks Voice reporter Andrew Watson.

pittodrie2The weather was mild and clear, but not as warm as one would think looking out the window prior to heading out to the game. Early on it seemed the Saints were going to make life difficult for the Dons.

They pressed the home side toe to toe and ball for ball, leaving little room for any creativity – a bit like Motherwell under Stuart McCall a few seasons back; lots of pressure, dominating and hard to match.

This, however, did not last long and Aberdeen soon found their rhythm.

A McLean corner found the head of Adam Rooney. The resulting ball was cleared off the line.  Mark Reynolds then tested the keeper, who responded well.  However, the ball came to McLean, again.

His back-heel found the feet of Peter Pawlett. Andrew Considine then added the decisive touch to the sequence, heading across goal for Rooney to bundle in.

1-0 Aberdeen with a goal 21 minutes in!

Before the break, there was much dominance from the home side. Despite this, St Mirren had some chances too. In other words, both sides failed to capitalise.

Come the second half though, it only took Aberdeen a few minutes to further their lead.

Niall McGinn did a power of work on the wing, but the ball delivered was slightly overcooked. It took McLean to bring it into a more fortuitous area. Rooney completed his brace, again from close range, after 48 minutes.

2-0 Aberdeen!

Reynolds was then in receipt of McGinn’s corner cross after 66 minutes.

3-0 Aberdeen with a header!

Pawlett came off for David Goodwillie two minutes later. Lawrence Shankland came on for Rooney, who really should’ve scored a hat-trick by that point, at 77 minutes.  Willo Flood was then swapped for Barry Robson on the 84 minute mark.

One Saint who deserves a mention would be veteran and stalwart, Jim Goodwin. Perhaps not for the right reasons, though. He skied an attempt on goal, as his team pressed hard for a deserved solitary consolatory goal. No luck, Buddie.

“There’s only one Jim Goodwin, one Jim Goodwin!”

Or so the Red Army sang. Good stuff from the men in red, though I dare say they’re missing Jonny Hayes. Though assisting both Rooney’s goals, we’re yet to see the best of McLean, too.

Final score:  3-0.

Aberdeen 4 Ross County 0 – Pittodrie Stadium 07.02.15

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Feb 082015
 

The scoreline belies how utterly abject both sides were in the first half but Aberdeen made up for that after the break, remarks Voice reporter Andrew Watson.

merklandandrewIt was a chilly afternoon, with only the receding snow giving the faintest of indications it’s getting remotely warmer.

The Reds got off the starting block fast. Antonio Reguero struggled to handle a long range shot from the foot of Jonny Hayes and spilt the ball.

Adam Rooney pounced.

1-0 Aberdeen just 12 minutes in.

Nothing of note happened for the rest of the half, with the two teams jostling for possession yet doing very little with it.  Messy stuff, and quite bad tempered at times. This game saw four yellow cards between the two sides.

Joe Shaughnessy came on for Donervorn Daniels after 35 minutes. This actually came as little surprise because the on loan West Bromich Albion defender had come off the pitch twice prior with niggling pains.

Following that, arguably what changed the game, Cammy Smith then came off for Peter Pawlett.

Four minutes after that substitution, 50 minutes into the game, Pawlett proved to be a super sub.

Playmaker Hayes found Pawlett in the box; Pawlett took a touch to beat Reguero, then another to slot away goal number two for the Dons. He did well to find the net, considering the angle from which he was left to complete the move.

2-0 Aberdeen.

Then after 61 minutes Shaleum Logan directed a fantastic ball into the corner of the Ross County goal from just outside the box.

3-0 Aberdeen.

Nine minutes later, David Goodwillie came on for Niall McGinn.

This substitution was yet another tactical masterstroke by gaffer Derek McInnes, albeit not quite the near immediate impact Pawlett had earlier in the game.

Nevertheless, fifteen minutes later Goodwillie proved his worth in a red shirt.

4-0 Aberdeen.

The second half performance more than rewarded the Red Army for their patience during the first forty five.

Having said that, I hope new boys Daniels and Kenny McLean impress more in future outings because at times it was hard to see what exactly they were contributing on the pitch.

I know the former was only on for so long, but I worried it was to do with him struggling with the physicality of the Scottish game. Regarding McLean, I saw a few good touches but that was about it.

Final score:  4-0.

Aberdeen 3 Dundee 3 – Pittodrie Stadium 17.01.15

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Jan 182015
 

The Dons almost undid all the donkey work they’d done to earn a bumper Pittodrie crowd but the perpetual bottlers salvaged a point, opines Voice reporter Andrew Watson.

pittodrieThey went hell for leather in the opening stages and it was beginning to look, with a seemingly dodgy keeper in Scott Bain, an easy three points for the home side.

His is wayward kicking rarely ended
in anything but a throw for the men in
red.

Anyway, seven minutes into the game, David Goodwillie found the roof of the net via a low drive from the foot of Adam Rooney.

Rooney had instigated a similar move earlier in match, with no one on the end of it, but was second time round rewarded for his endeavour.

1-0 Aberdeen!

The Reds should’ve really taken the game by the scruff of the neck by this point, but couldn’t find the elusive minimal two goal lead.

The Dens Park men then equalised, much against the run of play.

1-1 (Gary Irvine) after 38 minutes.

The punishment didn’t end there, though. A slick back heel set up another drive past keeper Scott Brown.

1-2 (Greg Stewart) only two minutes later. Bedlam in the away end, with jubilant Dark Blues hopping the hoarding but the stewards contained the situation.

Only three minutes into the second half Dundee went two goals ahead due to some poor defensive work from Ashton Taylor, and really took the biscuit with a spectacular volley from reasonable distance.

1-3 (Gary Harkins).

15 minutes later Willo Flood and Cammy Smith came on for Taylor and Peter Pawlett.

This period of the game was frustrating to watch. Aberdeen poured forward with little end product, whether lobbing the ball with no luck or passing the ball aimlessly from side to side, back and never forward.

Lawrence Shankland came on for Rooney on the 82 minute mark. Eventually the tide turned and some productivity came about from their desperate efforts.

Five minutes later Jonny Hayes slotted away a penalty kick, resulting from a foul upon Shankland.

2-3 Aberdeen!

Ryan Jack then miraculously pounced on a Shay Logan ball to rescue the Dandies from demolition Dundee.

3-3 Aberdeen on the death!

It was disappointing to lose the clean sheet record, but at least they still had the winning mentality when the chips were down. The heads looked down, too, but the twelfth man raised their spirits.

Final score:  3-3.

Aberdeen 2 St Johnstone 0 – Pittodrie Stadium 01.01.15

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Jan 022015
 

merkalndpic2League Cup holders Aberdeen faced Scottish Cup holders St Johnstone, reports Voice’s Andrew Watson.

The Dons got off to a flying start 6 minutes into the game, with Niall McGinn chipping the ball to find David Goodwillie.  He chested it before setting himself up for a spectacular overhead kick.

1-0 Aberdeen!

Peter Pawlett also struck the net soon after, but was denied a goal after officials deemed that Goodwillie had handled the ball in the lead up.

What followed was somewhat frustrating to watch. The home side, despite their dominance in the opposition’s box, couldn’t capitalise on their attacking play.

The visitors, however well they pinned back the Reds in their own half from time to time, lacked the incision to take that momentum into dangerous areas.

Goodwillie and Pawlett were then substituted on the 76 minute mark, replaced by Lawrence Shankland and Cammy Smith.  Aberdeen then made their third and final change after 80 minutes. This was to take off McGinn and bring on Jeffrey Monakana.

It looked to be another tense one nil victory on the horizon, but Adam Rooney took McGinn’s role of provider unto himself to deliver a ball to the feet of Smith.

2-0 Aberdeen two minutes into the three minutes of injury time!

It’s refreshing to see Aberdeen spurn their recent identity as one of a team that grinds out results, often making the football less pleasing to watch. Goodwillie’s goal was also overdue, given his stature and potential.

Final score:  2-0.

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