Scottish Premier League – Saturday, 23rd January 2010
Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen
A stunning 49th minute strike from Derek Young secured three deserved points for the Dons at a rain-soaked Pittodrie.
After another frustrating week for Mark McGhee in his efforts to reshape his Aberdeen squad it was somewhat fitting that it should finish with the return of his predecessor, Jimmy Calderwood, and a Kilmarnock side buoyed by their midweek cup win over Falkirk but still searching for their first win in the SPL in 6 matches.
Calderwood is held by sections of the Aberdeen support as being culpable for the widespread changes that McGhee now finds himself charged with making to his squad. With both sides being the two lowest scoring sides in the SPL – goals were expected to be at a premium and so it proved with both sides struggling to create much in the way of clear-cut goalscoring opportunities on a sodden surface.
The Dons started the brighter of the two sides with McDonald supporting Mackie up front. Some neat possession football on 28 minutes led to a Mackie drive which was tipped around the post by Killie ‘keeper Bell. From the corner, Ifil glanced a header goalwards which was cleared from the line by Hay with Bell stranded. Shortly after, Mackie latched onto a precise Kerr through-ball, drove past Ford but, with a lack of support in the box, was forced to shoot wide of the Kilmarnock goal.
McDonald then headed a Foster cross wide of the target as the Dons began to turn their possession into chances. Ten minutes from half-time, a sweeping move involving Marshall, Fyvie, Kerr and McDonald found Foster on the flank and his cross was flicked on at the near-post by Young only for Mackie, with the goal at his mercy, to fire high and wide.
Four minutes after the break, Aberdeen grabbed the breakthrough that their possession had deserved. A stuttering clearance by Ford fell to Young at the edge of the box and his left-footed, scissor kick volley (yes, you read that correctly) flew high beyond Bell into the Killie stopper’s top-left hand corner. Two minutes later, the Dons should have made it 2 as Fyvie’s low corner was back-heeled by Grassi into the danger area but no-one had anticipated the Italian’s flick and the chance was lost. Aberdeen were beginning to threaten the Kilmarnock defence with every attack and Hay was, once again, the visitor’s saviour as he cleared a McDonald effort from the line.
Having Kevin Kyle on the bench must’ve been like a wet-dream for the ex-Dons manager and Calderwood soon reacted to the barrage of pressure his new charges were under by throwing the big striker on alongside Mark Burchill. These changes allowed the visitors to grab a foothold in the game as the Dons defence was subjected to an aerial bombardment at every opportunity. This resulted in Langfield producing his only really save of note from Burchill who connected well with a Kyle lay-off. A lapse from Ifil nearly allowed Kyle to slip in a Kilmarnock equaliser in the 89th minute but his shot was straight at Langfield from Taouil’s cross ball.
The Dons rallied in injury time with McDonald unfortunate to grab a decisive second as his goal-bound effort was blocked by Paton (a late replacement for Mackie). In the very last minute of action, Young was denied a stunning brace as his 20 yard effort was finger-tipped by Bell onto the cross bar when it had looked destined for the top-corner.
It would be remiss of me not to mention the referee who had very little to do in a game that was fiercely competitive without ever being in danger of becoming out of control. However, the number of times that Brines managed to find himself in the way of players attempting to pass or dribble was, frankly, amateurish.
All in all, a deserved 3 points for Mark McGhee’s men who dominated the vast majority of the game and created the better chances. Onwards now to Tynecastle on Wednesday night!
tchocky
Aberdeen-Mad - written by the fans for the fans. Together we can make a difference.
