D nsThe Latest news from in and around Pittodrie

October 2012

No Buddies act in cup qaurter final

Match Reports from Pittodrie and St Mirren Park

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Page 3/4 - Match report from the quar-ter final of the Scottish Communities League Cup vs St.Mirren

Page 5/6 - Match report from St Mirren Park

Contents

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For the second season in succe-sion the Dons were knocked out of the league cup on penalties at Pittodrie. It was St Mirren who were victors on this occasion- winning 4-2 on spot kicks after the game had ended 2-2 after extra time. The long wait for a trophy at Pittodrie goes on...

For this one Craig Brown made two changes from the side that started against Dundee with Josh Magennis and Jonny Hayes starting in place of Chris Clark and Ryan Fraser. This saw Isaac Osbourne return to midfield.

The Dons started brightly and created a few chances in the opening stages of the game. Niall McGinn had an early chance before Jonny Hayes won a corner kick after a good run down the right. The corner from Hayes was touched towards goal by Russell Anderson and Sampson palmed away before McAusland had to block Os-bourne’s effort on the rebound on 2 minutes.

It was St Mirren who took the lead though after 6 min-utes. A cross by Imrie was met by Thompson whose header crashed off the bar and after Langfield had touched it onto the bar but Sam Parkin nodded in the first goal of the game.

The home side tried to respond and a McGinn cross was held well by Sampson before Scott Vernon’s effort was blocked by McAusland. A short time later, a fantastic move by Aberdeen saw McGinn find Hayes who passed

to Osbourne. Unfortunatley his chip over the top was a little too strong for Stephen Hughes who didnt have the pace to catch it.

Scott Vernon got the Dons level on 21 minutes- taking advan-tage of some slack goalkeep-ing by Samson. After a Hayes corner and another McAusland clearence, Vernon rose above the defence to head past the flaling goalkeeper and restore parity in the game.

Aberdeen looked to capitalise further and McGinn was next to have an effort at goal while Hayes continued to get the bet-ter of the St Mirren right back, Dummet who was struglling against the former Inverness player. Another fine cross from McGinn into the box went un-rewarded when no red shirted payers were there to touch the ball into net. At the other end Langfield had to punch away a Jim Goodwin free kick which looked like it might creep in at the keepers’ left hand post.

A fantastic interception by Clark Robertson set Stephen Hughes off on a long run but the momentum ran out of the attack and Hughes fired his cross out of play. Langfield then had to make anoher save from Dougie Imrie as St Mirren again threat-ened on the break and McLean also fired in a shot that took a deflection and went out for a corner.

HT 1-1

After the break the Dons start-ed well and Magennis forced Sampson into an early save before there were appeals from the Red Army for a penalty as Thompson and Vernon clashed in the box but referee Crawford Allan waived play on. Samson was then forced into two saves in close succesion as the Buddies began to sit deeper in their own half.

A cross from Issac Osbourne was flciked on by Vernon but no one was there to take advantage for Aberdeen as the ball flashed across the front of goal. The same happened again a short while later, this time McGinn with the cross into a fantastic position. There was a reminder for the Dons of the Saints threat on the break when a shot from Thompson had to be saved by Langfield.

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Aberdeen 2 - St Mirren 2 (aet 2-4 on penalties) scottish communities league cup

The Dons didn’t heed the warn-ing though and it was St Mirren who took the lead again on 69 minutes with a stunning strike. A long ball deflected off Russell Anderson and landed at the feet of Kenny McLean just outside the box and he unleashed a magnificent curling shot into the back of the net leaving Lang-field helpless. The keeper had no chance with either goal.

Aberdeen, roared on by the Red Army, responded well to another set back and Gavin Rae eventually won a corner after a good run into the visitors’ box but they could’t take advanage. Scott Vernon was replaced by Ryan Fraser as Craig Brown shuffled the pack to try and get his side back into the game then Clark Robertson was replaced by Cammy Smith on 82minutes.

A good free kick from Hayes was delfelcted wide for a corner which came to no aviail while at the other end, Steven Thomp-son headed against the post and the Dons cleared. Then just as it looked like the Dons would be dumped out of the cup, Josh Magennis (by now playing up front) scored after Cammy Smith’s shot had been blocked in the second minute of stop-page time.

FT 2-2

In the first period of extra time, Ryan Fraser was again influ-ential. Firstly his pass found Cammy Smith who in turn found McGinn but the Northern Irishman dragged his shot just wide of the far post. Then Paul Dummet became the 15th player to be booked for fouling Fraser as once again the youngster got the better of a defender.

Mark Reynolds had a shot which hit the side neting before a great cross from Fraser had to be headed behind for a cor-ner with Camy Smith lurking inside the box. Smith did have a shot at Sampson a short time later but the goalkeeper made a comfortable save.

HT in ET 2-2

Gary Naysmith replaced Josh Magennis as the Dons shuffled around again and they contin-ued to threaten the St Mirren goal. Issac Osbourne was anoth-er to hit the side netting before Hayes tried to find Smith in the box but the pass was cut out again by the stubborn Saints defence. Persistenet play by McGinn won Aberdeen another corner but like so many others on the night this one was wasted and Sampson held well.

Ryan Fraser was victim to yet another foul for which Van Zanten was booked by referee Allan, although this one didn’t seem quite as brutal as some of the rest of the treatment the Dons star has been subjected too. More persistent and inven-tive play by McGinn won the Dons another corner before St Mirren broke with the games last real attack. Lewis Guy found himself through on goal and having slightly over hit the ball, went down with the pres-ence of Jamie Langfield close by. Referee Allan decided that there was no infringement by the Dons goalie and booked the St Mirren Sub for simulation. Extra time ended with no furher change to the scoreline.

FT in ET 2-2

Penalties.....

With the teams unable to be seperated over 120 minutes, the drama of penalties was up next. St Mirren scored their first penalty to put early pressure on the Dons and Stephen Hughes succumbed to the pressure and crashed his penalty off the cross bar. Gary Teale stepped up and scored the visitors’ second before Nial McGinn scored a great kick to make it 2-1 St Mir-ren after 2 penalties each. Jim Goodwin and Jonny Hayes then converted their spot kicks and when McAusland made it 4-2 to St Mirren- Cammy Smith had to score.

Samson saved and the Dons were beaten yet again on pen-alties and exit the Communities League Cup at the Quarter Final stage. A positive response is now required in Dingwall to continue their superb run in the SPL and make up for the undoubted disappointment for fans, players and staff at Pit-todrie at failing to make it to Hampden.

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Aberdeen took a 2-0 lead into the interval at Paisley despite the home side enjoying the bulk of the possession. The Dons started in an unfamiliar 4-3-3 formation with a front three of Fraser, McGinn and Hayes. After soaking up some early pressure the Dons launched their first attack in the tenth minute and opened the scoring. Hayes lashing the ball into the net following good build up play by Magennis. Aberdeen doubled their advantage in the final minute of the half when great play from Fraser set up McGinn for his seventh goal in his seventh consecutive league match. The Dons controlled the second half, but it wasn’t until the final five minutes that the goals flowed. Clark and Reyn-olds put the Dons 4-0 ahead and moved them into second place above Hibernian but thirty sec-onds later they slipped back to third as the defence switched off allowing Thompson a consola-tion. The only negative point in the game was the early substi-tution of Ryan Fraser following a shocking challenge that went unpunished. The youngster will be hoping he can recover to face Celtic next week.

Following a minutes silence in memory of Remembrance Sun-day, the home side got the game under way. The fans appeared to still be observing the silence in the opening minutes of the match as little happened on the field of play. The fans were soon back in full voice as the game settled with Saints creating the first chance in three minutes, but the ball went harmlessly over. Saints had made the

brighter start and won the first corner in the 7th minute forcing Langfield to punch clear. Aber-deen finally launched their first attack of the game in the 10th minute and grabbed the lead when Hayes lashed the ball into the net following good build up play by Magennis.

Two minutes later Langfield made a terrific save to keep the Dons ahead. Clark conceded a free kick and when it was whipped in to the box Langfield saw a Thompson header late but tipped it on to the bar. The first yellow card was then shown to McAusland for tripping Ryan Fraser. Chris Clark quickly followed him into the refer-ee’s book for a rash challenge. Fraser was getting disgraceful treatment from the home fans every time he touched the ball in the belief that the youngster had somehow dived for the initial booking. Fraser appeared unperturbed by the attention

and just continued doing what he does best.A second Saints corner in the 20th minute was well defended and a minute later a Thompson header went inches wide. Saints were enjoying most of the possession, but the Dons looked dangerous when they broke at

speed. A free kick in the 27th minute was whipped in by Fraser, but Mair was first to re-act and cleared the danger with a firm header. Saints then forced a series of corners around the half hour mark as the Aberdeen defence struggled to clear their lines. Three minutes later Saints forced another two corners as the Dons were forced on to the back foot. Magennis went close to adding a second in the 34th minute as he showed great control before hitting a fierce shot that was well saved by the keeper.

Aberdeen 4 - StMirren 1 Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier League

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Saints continued to enjoy the possession and in the final minute of the half Magennis picked up a yellow card after conceding in a dangerous area. Josh redeemed himself with a great clearance that allowed the Dons to break quickly through Osbourne. He threaded a great pass to Fraser and the youngster silenced the home crowd with a good run and precision pass to Niall McGinn who made it sev-en goals in seven league match-es as the Dons doubled their advantage. What a great time to score the second goal now they needed to close this match out in the second half.

HT 2-0

Josh conceded another free kick on the edge of the box early in the second half, but Con-sidine managed to clear despite Thompson being all over him like a rash. Two minutes later Magennis was charging for-ward, but his cross was cut out by the keeper. At the other end Thompson sent an effort wide as the home side looked to get back into the match. Hayes went close in the 54th minute after being released by Fraser, but fired against the woodwork. Seconds later Saints were slack at the back and McGinn set up Fraser, but his effort was deflected wide for a corner. Saints were wob-bling now and the keeper was forced into another save from Hayes.

Two minutes later there were loud shouts for a spot kick from the Saints fans as Imrie was caught in a tangle of legs. It would have been soft, but ref-eree Finnie was not interested and to be fair the home players didn’t make much of it. The

Dons won a free kick on the hour mark, but Hayes’ delivery was scrambled clear. There was then a shocking challenge on young Fraser, but referee Finnie didn’t even award a free kick despite Fraser being badly hurt. Again the home crowd let them-selves down with their reaction. The youngster failed to recover and was replaced by Vernon. It was hard to understand how that didn’t even merit a free kick much less a yellow or red card. Let’s hope the official was not influenced by the home sup-port and that Fraser will recov-er to face Celtic.In the 69th minute Hayes was taken out of the game resulting in a St. Mirren free kick much to the frustration of the trav-elling support. Three minutes later Chris Clark was brought down on the edge of the box and the free kick was touched to

Magennis whose low shot was blocked by the wall. A second free kick was scrambled clear as Aberdeen started to enjoy lot more of the game. Hayes was then just too short to latch on to another cross as Saints were

forced back.With ten minutes remaining the home side had some sustained pressure, but the Dons eventually tidied up at the back and with seven min-utes remaining Langfield made another terrific save.

At the other end good build up play ended with a fine shot from McGinn, but the third decisive goal just wouldn’t come. A mis-placed header from Robertson gifted Saints another corner, but the ball was scrambled clear with five minutes left on the clock. The third goal did arrive courtesy of Chris Clark, but it was all down to good play from McGinn and a selfless pass from Scott Vernon. A minute later Reynolds grabbed the goal of the day when he went on a great run and hit a screamer from 18 yards. That goal put the Dons into second place above Hiber-nian, but thirty seconds later they slipped back to third as the defence switched off allowing Thompson a consolation. Nev-ertheless this was a great per-formance considering the injury list.

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