St. Mirren 0 - 0 Aberdeen

After losing 1-0 to Motherwell in midweek, Aberdeen made just the one change to the starting team, new signing Matty Kennedy coming straight into the side in place of Jon Gallagher, who was on the bench. After Motherwell were held to a goalless draw by Hibs yesterday, the Dons would close to within two points of third place with victory at St Mirren.

Following their 1-0 defeat at Ibrox in midweek, St Mirren made two changes, Tony Andreu and Ilkay Durmus coming in for McGinn and Magennis. St Mirren are in 10th, five points clear of Hearts at the bottom and one above Hamilton in the play-off spot.

The game opened on a greasy surface in a cold, blustery wind and after the hosts won a first minute corner that came to nothing, from there it took time to settle as the players tried to get to grips with that breeze.

Heavy rain over night in the Paisley area had left heavy underfoot conditions and in the opening stages both sets of players were taking some time to adjust.

A long ball from Joe Lewis caused chaos at the other end in the ninth minute, Sam Cosgrove battling for the ball on the edge of the area before being bundled over, but no free-kick was given.

Matty Kennedy's first involvement was a positive one as he helped win a first Aberdeen corner in the 11th minute following a bizarre clearance from Famewo from inside his own area. Niall McGinn fired it into the near post, Ash Taylor making a darting run to get on the end of it but mistiming his header and directing it wide from a tight angle. Taylor was being marked by Sam Foley who had been injured moments before and the Aberdeen centre half might feel he could have done better.

More errors at the back almost gifted Aberdeen a chance in the 13th minute, a poor ball from Hladky to Famewo giving McGinn a shot at goal inside the box, the defender recovering well to block. Two corners followed, St Mirren riding their luck to clear both.

The Dons were dominating possession by now, knocking the ball around with ease as St Mirren had to retreat further and further, defending in numbers. Another terrible clearance from Hladky almost got the Dons in in the 23rd minute, McGinn spearing in a low cross from the left, Hladky atoning for his error by just getting to the ball ahead of Cosgrove.

MacPherson took the game's first yellow card in the 24th minute after fouling Lewis Ferguson on halfway. The game began to open up and became more end to end and in the 28th minute, Cosgrove was hauled down in the box by a rugby tackle from McCarthy off the ball which, incomprehensibly was ignored by the officials, despite looking like a clear penalty.

Another corner was cleared away on the half hour but Aberdeen recycled it well, the ball dropping for Scott McKenna in the edge of the box, his drive at goal deflected just over the top for a sixth corner which St Mirren again dealt with.

The game by now had become very scrappy and a real physical battle. The lack of any structure was suiting the home side as they tried to hit on the break.

St Mirren should have been in front in the 41st minute, Dylan McGeouch playing a ball back to his goalkeeper from halfway, failing to notice Obika lurking in between them. Obika advanced and smacked the ball past Lewis from the edge of the box but it thumped against the far post and came back to McKenna to clear. That was the last meaningful action of a half which the Dons dominated but where the hosts had the best chance to break the deadlock.

HALF-TIME: ST MIRREN 0 ABERDEEN 0

The players were greeted with a quick shower of the rain that had been threatening all afternoon at the start of the second half, doing nothing to improve the conditions.

The hosts were first to have a look at goal, Durmus driving over from 30 yards after collecting a loose ball in midfield, never threatening Lewis. Andreu had a better sight in the 53rd minute as a Durmus cross broke to him off Taylor but in the end, it was an easy low take for Lewis.

Corner number nine for the Dons came in the 57th minute, McGinn out on the left, Cosgrove getting to it but the ball lobbed up for a simple save for Hladky. A dangerous cross in from the left from Kennedy caused Hladky more trouble two minutes later, saving well at the feet of Andrew Considine.

Just past the hour, Funso Ojo went down after being on the wrong end of a heavy collision with Famewo in the midfield, receiving treatment for a couple of minutes before resuming.

St Mirren hit on the break in the 69th minute, Obika picking out Durmus on the left, his vicious, dipping shot from the left edge of the box going just over the bar as the hosts began to threaten more.

Better followed from the Dons, neat passing play ending with Ferguson stubbing a shot just wide as he tried to get the ball out of his feet. The first change of the game followed immediately thereafter, Ryan Hedges replacing McGeouch in the 72nd minute.

A real scramble in the Buddies' box followed an Aberdeen free-kick in the 74th minute, the hosts getting it clear by luck as much as judgement, MacPherson handling an overhead kick from McKenna in the midst, though it was purely accidental, the defender unable to get his hand out of the way from close range.

More decent pressure came from the Dons in the 79th minute involving Hedges, Cosgrove and Ferguson but nobody could apply a finishing touch and the chance petered out once more, the story of the second half of the season thus far. It was the same a minute later, Hedges' drive from 25 yards slicing wide. Andreu was then replaced by Cooke for the hosts with ten minutes to go.

Bruce Anderson became Aberdeen's second change in the 85th minute, McGinn making way for the striker. Ojo came close for the Dons two minutes later, his 25 yarder pushed away by Hladky, nobody able to get onto the loose ball ahead of the goalkeeper.

Into injury time and St Mirren introduced Paul McGinn for Durmus to run down the clock, the game ending seconds later in another disappointing stalemate.