Motherwell 0 - 0 Aberdeen

Derek McInnes named an unchanged side for the game at Fir Park, going with the same XI that started the 2-0 win at Rugby Park last Sunday. The only change on the bench was Ronald Hernández being replaced by Calvin Ramsay.

After losing 3-1 to Rangers on Saturday, despite leading until the 73rd minute, Motherwell made a single change to their side, Liam Polworth coming in for Bevis Mugabi who dropped to the bench.

Aberdeen made a lively start and a nicely worked free-kick caused danger in the third minute, Hayes sending Kennedy on his way down the left. Hedges nudged Kennedy's cross in on to Main but he ran out of road at the near post as he tried to turn the ball in from a tight angle.

There was more good play from Aberdeen a minute later, a nice run and cross from McLennan finding Kennedy as Hedges let the ball run, the winger's shot taking a deflection on its way wide.

It should have been 1-0 to the visitors in the 13th minute, Hedges firing a left flank corner into the six-yard box, Main onto it and thumping a header against the bar, the ball bouncing to safety. McLennan needed a spell of treatment to his right ankle in the 20th minute before resuming.

Archer was in brilliant form for the hosts in the 22nd minute, Hedges rolling a free-kick to Hayes across the top of the box, Archer diving to his right to save on the deck, a terrific save. It was a high octane start from the Dons, but that first goal still hadn't come.

Motherwell steadied the ship to some degree thereafter, before Hoban was the next man to need treatment, a problem with his right ankle bringing the physios on in the 33rd minute before he too continued. Lewis was finally called into action in the 38th minute, grabbing an O'Hara free-kick from 25 yards that went straight at him. It was generally a better ending to the half from the home side, but the Dons headed back into the changing room wondering how they were still level.

HALF-TIME: MOTHERWELL 0 ABERDEEN 0

Cosgrove was on for the Dons at the break, replacing McLennan, Aberdeen picking up the pace again from the restart, but though they enjoyed the better of the play, they struggled to chisel out any real openings, two early corners wasted too.

Good defending from Motherwell managed to keep the Dons at arm's length in the opening exchanges of a pretty sterile second half. Cole came on for Lang in the 68th minute as the hosts looked to try and break the stalemate.

The Dons were struggling to find the final ball to capitalise on the possession they were enjoying. Both Ferguson and Cosgrove tried to bundle their way through either side of the 70 minute mark but the Steelmen had plenty of bodies back to flood their own box.

It was Motherwell who weren't far away in the 75th minute, Watt feeding Cole in behind the Aberdeen defence, his cross running through the six-yard box and thankfully away to safety, Polworth unable to get on the end of it.

Great play from Hayes and Considine opened Motherwell up at last in the 78th minute, Hayes' cross reaching Kennedy, his header looking goalbound until Grimshaw popped up to block. 'Well responded, Watt away down the left, squaring for Polworth, Considine doing brilliantly to get into position to block the shot on the edge of the six-yard box.

Motherwell made their second change in the 84th minute, Maguire on for Crawford. Watt made another dangerous run in the 87th minute, Lewis clutching his drive into the near post. Aberdeen brought on Edmondson for Main in the 87th minute.

Kennedy took one for the team as Cole darted away on the break, pulling him down and collecting a booking, though the move was begun when the referee missed a clear foul on Hedges in the Motherwell half. Before the kick was taken, White replaced Watt in the 90th minute.

The Dons had one last chance to put the ball in the box with a free-kick in added time but again it came to nothing, leaving the game as a stalemate.