Scottish Premier League - Saturday, 30th January 2010
Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen
Prior to kick off there were so many questions on the lips of Aberdeen supporters everywhere: Could the Dons replicate their stunning performance at Tynecastle in midweek? Just how much will we sell Fraser Fyvie for? Do Craig Brown and Archie Knox travel for free on the Motherwell team bus? Could the Dons make it three wins in a row?
Motherwell travelled to the frozen north in search of a first win under 'shagger' Brown and Alex Ferguson’s right-hand man at Pittodrie during the halcyon days of the '80s. 'Well arrived on the back of three straight clean sheets in the league but with only two wins on the road this season. A win for either side combined with Jim Jeffries’ Hearts (haha) failing to secure three points at St. Johnstone would see the victorious side leapfrog Hearts into 5th place with game(s) in hand.
The Dons kicked off with an unchanged team from Wednesday nights' win in Gorgie and started the game brightly and an early Charlie Mulgrew effort after initially striking the wall from a free-kick had'Well keeper Ruddy scrambling to turn the ball around his right-hand post. Shortly after, Ruddy was called into action again to block McDonald after he was put through on goal by Mackie.
Motherwell started to come back into the game and a corner from O'Brien was sliced onto his own crossbar by Young before Langfield then had to divert an effort from O’Brien over his crossbar. The Steelmen grabbed the opener on 29 minutes as O'Brien made the most of some hesitant defending by Grassi to skip around the Italian full-back and fire a low shot towards goal which Langfield could only divert into the path of John Sutton who tapped in the ball into the empty net.
Grassi had started the game nervously and the goal clearly affected the confidence of the former Parma player and Jennings and Sutton capitalised on another error by the hair-banded Italian but Sutton fired wide with the goal at his mercy.
Shortly before the break, Aberdeen rallied and Everton-loanee Ruddy was forced into making saves from Mackie and then from a long-range Ricky Foster effort that took a huge deflection off of McDonald. Just on half-time, Aberdeen's best chance of the game fell to McDonald at the far post following a Mulgrew free-kick that was flicked on by Miller. However, the former Oldham Athletic man could only watch as Ruddy tipped the ball onto the post and wide.
Motherwell made Aberdeen pay for their wasted efforts early in the second half as they scored two in a three minute salvo to tie up the points. First, Sutton nodded a cross back into the path of Lukas Jutkiewicz who stooped to head the ball goalwards. Derek Young appeared to have blocked the ball on the line but referee Steve Conroy and his Main Stand assistant awarded the goal much to the fury of Langfield and Young who strongly remonstrated with the assistant. Three minutes later the game was over as Craigen rose to meet a free-kick from the spawn of Satan himself which Langfield could only divert into the path of Sutton to grab his second poacher’s effort of the game.
Aberdeen responded by throwing Maguire and Paton on for Fyvie and Grassi but despite having four strikers on the pitch they failed to create any clear-cut opportunities and it was Langfield who had to deny the impressive O'Brien from making it four for the visitors. The game petered out with Paton firing wide and Mulgrew smashing a free –kick against the Motherwell wall, on first glimpse, looked to have been blocked with a hand. Any resultant penalty would, however, have been entirely consolatory.
A disappointing result for the Dons who never looked at the races today allowing the Steelmen to pick up the win and a fourth clean-sheet on the bounce without having to do much for their win. Mothers and fathers of Motherwell, lock up your daughters as the oldest shagger in town will be out celebrating this evening whilst Aberdeen will look to make amends as early as Tuesday night with the visit of struggling Falkrik to Pittodrie.
Tchocky
Aberdeen-Mad - written by the fans for the fans. Together we can make a difference.
