Saints 0-2 Aberdeen
First Team

Saints 0-2 Aberdeen

23rd February 2019

Saturday 23 February 2019

After a great performance at Ibrox, Saints looked to go one better on Saturday as they hosted Aberdeen. Having slipped up against St Mirren at Pitoddrie the week before, The Dons would be looking for the three points too.

Tommy made no changes to the side which kept a clean sheet against Rangers as Saints returned to McDiarmid Park, however Tony Watt returned to the bench.

The visitors got the game underway but the blustery conditions helped create early chances.

Matty Kennedy burst into the box but was tackles before he could unleash, and his volley from th resulting corner was diverted behind again.

The second corner, taken short, culminated in Davidson’s header finding Craig, but the veteran midfielder couldn’t make a clean contact as the frozen Dons defence pleaded for offside.

Superb tenacity from Kane saw Kennedy race up the flank, and his cross was cleared moments before Craig could smash home.

On 11 minutes, the winger cut in himself and fired a thunderbolt straight at Joe Lewis, but the stopper was unchallenged.

It was Aberdeen though who grabbed the opener against the run of play, as Graeme Shinnie shrugged off Sean Goss before slotting past Cammy Bell. 0-1.

As the half hour mark approached, Chris Kane powered past the Aberdeen backline before playing a one-two with Spoony, but when the striker was brought down in the box, the referee only pointed for a corner.

The striker was then booked after a 50/50 on the edge of the Aberdeen box after being brilliantly fed in by Goss, much to the home fans’ anger.

With nine minutes of the half remaining, Cammy Bell made a super save to deny Gary MacKay-Steven a wonderful volley, but the big keeper got two strong hands behind the strike.

As the half drew to an end, Davidson connected firmly with Foster’s cross from the right, but Lewis tipped over the header.

But the teams went in with Shinnie’s goal splitting them at half time.

Liam Craig got the second half underway and within 30 seconds, Scott Tanser’s cross had Saints fans on their feet, having beaten Joe Lewis but buried itself in the side netting.

Aberdeen broke and Ferguson replicated the low drive but across goal, narrowly beating Bell’s post.

Saints were let off the hook on 50 minutes when McLennan skied a sitter from five yards, as Aberdeen capitalised on a weak Kerr clearance.

Looking to level the scores, Tommy Wright swapped Liam Craig for Tony Watt on 55 minutes.

Almost instantly, Saints were level as Kennedy’s deflected shot smashed off the post and back into play before anyone in the box could react.

The match remained very much in the balance and Aberdeen came close when a deep cross flew behind the lunging Cosgrove.

Saints failed to make the most of a free kick won by Wotherspoon but an experienced tackle from the ever-composed Kerr stopped a Max Lowe counter from putting the game past the hosts.

As the Perth side began to claim the lion’s share of possession, McInnes swapped McLennan for Niall McGinn, after the youngster had taken a knock earlier in the game.

Tommy reacted by swapping Wotherspoon for Swanson, as the men in blue had 20 minutes to rescue a point.

However, Aberdeen were still looking to tighten their grip on the game and Greg Stewart should have done better from close range, but his blast was straight into the arms of Bell.

But they did wrap up the points on 74 minutes as Graeme Shinnie grabbed his second of the game from the edge of the box.

Aberdeen’s second change was to bring on Stevie May for Greg Stewart.

Saints final switch was bringing on Callum Hendry for Chris Kane before Aberdeen swapped GMS for Gleeson.

Saints had a late chance to reduce the damage, but Murray Davidson mishit a volley just inside the box.

Bell pulled off a top save in the 87th minuted to deny McGinn a curling goal.

But after three minutes of stoppage time, the game finished 2-0 and Saints returned to the bottom six.

Full time: St Johnstone 0-2 Aberdeen.

Saints: Bell, Foster, Kerr, Shaughnessy, Tanser, Goss, Davidson, Craig (Watt 54), Wotherspoon (Swanson, 72), Kennedy, Kane (Hendry, 80).

Unused subs: Hurst, Keown, Alston, Callachan.

Booked: Kane, Foster

Aberdeen: Lewis, Shinnie, Considine, Ball, Lowe, Devlin, Ferguson, McLennan (McGinn, 70), Mackay-Steven (Gleeson, 84), Stewart (May, 76), Cosgrove.

Unused subs: Cerny, Wilson, Campbell, Virtanen.

Goals: Shinnie (13), (74)

Referee: Euan Anderson Man of the Match: Jason Kerr

Match report by Ross Gardiner

Back to News
Share on Social