Aberdeen 6 - 3 Partick Thistle

After last week's reversal at Hamilton, Paul Sheerin's team looked to get back to winning ways in the Development League when they welcomed Partick Thistle with Station Park in Forfar the venue for this season's second meeting of the teams. Thistle beat us 2-1 in Airdrie back in October, but since that loss we have won five of our last six league matches while the Jags have had mixed fortunes winning three and losing three of their last six.

The Dons' side showed four changes from last Thursday's Youth Cup win at Hamilton with Danny Rogers, Ethan Ross, David Dangana and Chris Antoniazzi taking the place of David Craddock, Miko Virtanen, Bruce Anderson and Frank Ross. After an uneventful opening to the match, David Dangana won a free kick for the Dons twenty yards from the Partick Thistle goal. Toby Wells stepped forward a fired a perfect free kick into the keeper's right-hand corner to give the Dons the perfect start in only the eighth minute. It was Toby's fourth goal of the season, his third direct from a free kick and his second strike of the campaign against the Jags.
Thistle full back Fleming was booked for a foul on Seb Ross on 15 minutes. Wells' free kick again caused problems for the Jags rearguard as Sam Roscoe headed narrowly wide. Danny Harvie then headed just wide from an Ethan Ross corner as the Dons pressed for a second. A brisk, biting wind blowing in the Dons' favour was making it difficult for the visitors to get out of their own half but they broke clear down the left on 25 minutes and Fleming's cross was fired past Rogers from six yards to make it 1-1. A goal right against the run of play.
Wilson very nearly made it two for the Jags when he fired in a fine shot from a Duncanson cross only to see Danny Rogers make a great save tipping the ball past his right-hand post. On 36 minutes David Dangana was denied by a point-blank save from Stevenson when he connected with a Wells corner in the six yard box. A minute later a foul on Antoniazzi just outside the box saw Ian Stokes become the second Thistle man booked. On this occasion Toby Wells fired the free kick just a foot too high.
Dean Campbell was booked just before the interval, the whistle sounding after an opening forty-five which the Dons dominated for long spells without being able to turn their superiority into a lead.

Half time: Aberdeen 1 Partick Thistle 1

The Dons went back into the lead only a minute after the break. A Wells free kick picked out Mbayo in the box and his header was flicked on to the bar by Harvie. The rebound fell perfectly for Sam Roscoe to power a header past the stranded keeper to make it 2-1. Sam's first goal of the season. Toby Wells thought he'd made it 3-1 on 50 minutes but an offside flag against Dangana ruled the goal out. Sam Roscoe came within inches of getting his second goal when he headed Ethan Ross' accurate cross just wide.
The third goal the Dons deserved duly arrived on 55 minutes when Seb Ross slipped the ball pat Stevenson after brilliant lead up play between Wells and Dangana. Really good work on the right-hand side being finished off by Seb who notched his sixth league goal of the season. Two minutes later it was 4-1, Seb Ross again the scorer firing a Ryan Harrington cutback high into the net. Another swift move from the Dons culminating in a fine finish.
On the hour, a shell-shocked Thistle made a double switch bringing on Galasso and Granger for Fleming and Krones. Four minutes later Joe MacPherson came on for Danny Harvie, the sub slotting into midfield and Toby Wells moving to left back. Dangana and Antoniazzi both came close as the Dons continued to dominate while Thistle struggled to create any danger although sub Evan Galasso forced a fine save from Rogers in 71 minutes, the Irishman tipping his fierce left footed drive over the top.
Thistle did get a goal back on 74 minutes when Fitzpatrick picked up a pass from Higgins to find the net via the post. The Dons were stung back into action by that set-back and quickly made it 5-2 as Seb Ross smashed the ball past Stevenson to complete his hat-trick after Antoniazzi headed a Wells cross into his path. Another great finish from the Inverurie youngster and a well-deserved treble.
Thistle took off keeper Stevenson bringing on Scullion for the final 13 minutes. On 85 minutes, Lewis Hutchison replaced Ethan Ross who had played well on the wide left for the Dons. Wilson grabbed his second and Thistle's third goal with four minutes to go then straight from kick off Seb Ross smashed in his fourth of the game from the edge of the box to make it 6-3. It was raining goals at Station Park! That ended the scoring in a hugely entertaining match with four-goal Seb Ross the star of the show.