Scottish Premier League - Wednesday, 5th May 2010
Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen
Aberdeen managed to throw away a half-time lead to lose at home for the 10th time in the league this season. The performance was certainly an improvement on Saturday’s, but it was not enough to avoid defeat by relegation strugglers, Kilmarnock. Kerr had given the Dons a deserved lead in the 26th minute with a superb strike from the edge of the box. But in the second half Killie came out all guns blazing. They had several good chances before they did eventually equalise in the 69th minute through Kelly. After that, only one team was ever going to win it, and the winner came just five minutes later, Kyle beating Nelson with a near post header.
The home side started the game relatively well and gradually took control of the match. The first chance came in the ninth minute. A quick free kick found Aluko in space on the edge of the box, but his shot was deflected wide for a corner. Kyle went close for Killie two minutes later, the striker latched onto a great ball over the top; however Nelson was out quickly to put him off. Mackie showed good awareness in the 14th minute to keep playing when everyone else stopped to claim for a free kick. The Dons number 10 was closed down immediately though, his shot blocked by a defender. In the 25th minute, Aluko broke forward and played a great ball in for Mackie, whose cross found MacLean who managed to win a corner. An attempted clearance from the corner fell to Kerr who somehow found the confidence to let rip from just outside the box. His powerful effort flew past the helpless Combe for Kerr’s first goal in an Aberdeen shirt!
The visitors came back into it slightly after that, two dangerous balls in from Clancy putting the Dons defence under a bit of pressure. Fowler forced Nelson into a decent save in the 39th minute, the keeper managing to hold on to the powerful drive from 25 yards. Aberdeen though, were dominating the half; Kerr, who had clearly taken a confidence boost from his goal, attempted an ambitious lob from fully 30 yards. Mackie came close again in the 44th minute as the Dons looked to finish the half strongly. Mackie flicked a header onto MacLean, who rolled it back to his striking partner who drilled a low shot just the wrong side of the post.
Kilmarnock came out a changed team in the second half, and put Aberdeen under the cosh straight away. Wright getting on the end of a cross and forcing a point blank save from Nelson in the 49th minute. In the 52nd minute, Invincible swung in a free kick which only needed a touch, but crashed back off the post and the Dons scrambled it clear. In the 61st minute, it looked as though Kilmarnock had equalised; Nelson parried a shot straight out to Kyle, but incredibly, the Dons’ summer target skied his effort high over the bar when it looked easier to score! Mulgrew, whose free kicks haven’t been up to much lately, continued the trend in the 67th minute, firing into the wall.
A goal had been coming for Killie and it arrived in the 69th minute. Kelly beat Grassi on the wing and fired in a long range shot, which took a lucky deflection off Mulgrew, wrong footing Nelson who could do little to prevent the equaliser. Aberdeen heads then predictably went down, and they were punished just five minutes later, Kyle stealing in at the near post to convert Owen’s cross with a neat header and prompt wild celebrations in the away end. The Dons never really looked like getting back into it, a Mulgrew free kick two minutes from time, which needed a quick reaction from Combe, was the closest they came.
With 10 seconds left to play, a Kerr throw-in midway into the Kilmarnock half summed up Aberdeen’s season. Not a single player in red looked interested; nobody rushed forward to launch a final ball into the Killie box, nobody cared. Thankfully, this was Aberdeen’s last embarrassing home defeat of the season. Before tonight, Kilmarnock had scored just four away goals all season. They now have a record of two wins in their last 13 games, both against Aberdeen! However, with just one more game remaining of this “season of transition”, McGhee can soon start wielding the axe, and making fundamental changes which are clearly needed.
Ronaldanho
Danny McKay won RedTV's Junior Reporter competition: click here
Aberdeen-Mad - written by the fans for the fans. Together we can make a difference.
