Clyde 0 - 2 Aberdeen

Aberdeen overcame a feisty Clyde side as well as the horrendous weather to ease their way into the fifth round of the Scottish Cup with a comfortable win at New Douglas Park.

As the Dons returned to action after the winter break, Barry Robson named an unchanged starting XI from the 3-0 win at Ross County on 2nd January. The only change on the bench was the return of Pape Guèye for Jack Milne.

After Clyde drew 1-1 at East Fife last Saturday, there were three changes to their starting line-up, Erik Sula, Darren Hynes and Stewart Carswell replacing Lee Hamilton, Robbie Leitch and Barry Cuddihy.

The game began in pouring rain with a strong, swirling wind that made life awkward for the players. There was some nice possession from Aberdeen in the early exchanges, but they were unable to carve out a telling opportunity in that opening passage of play as Clyde sat in deep.

The first shot in anger came on 15 minutes, Connor Barron firing a corner onto the foot of Leighton Clarkson in a central position some 25 yards out from goal, but his volley squirted wide of goal, unsurprising perhaps with the gusting wind.

From nowhere, it was Clyde who were inches from the opener on 21 minutes as Young traded passes with Rennie on the edge of the Aberdeen area before Young arced a left footed shot across the face of goal, the ball thumping the base of the post and bouncing to safety with Kelle Roos beaten.

Dante Polvara led the Aberdeen response, collecting a header from Clarkson. A good first touch created a shooting opportunity, an effort that was deflected a fraction wide in the 25th minute.

The Dons were in front on 32 minutes, Bojan Miovski composed and clinical as ever, despite having barely touched the ball in that first half an hour. Lovely quick feet from Jamie McGrath created space to get in a cross from the left edge of the box. Off his chest, Nicky Devlin was able to cushion the ball down to Miovski who, after adjusting his position, swept the ball back across goal and just inside the post for 1-0.

Carswell went down injured and needed lengthy treatment four minutes later, before having to be replaced by Peter Grant. With the goal in the bank, Aberdeen were able to simply keep possession at will from there, looking to move the Clyde players around.

It almost paid dividends after 45 minutes. Good work from Jack MacKenzie gave McGrath an opportunity to create again, clipping a pass forward for Miovski who produced a first time effort on the run as the ball dropped over his shoulder, his shot thumping against the bar.

HALF-TIME: CLYDE 0 ABERDEEN 1

Polvara created concern for the hosts in the opening minute of the second half, getting away down the right and driving in a cross that Leighfield had to punch clear. Clarkson was next to threaten on 54 minutes, a curling shot from the edge of the box taking a deflection that saw the ball loop just wide of the target.

It was 2-0 to the visitors after 57 minutes, Nicky Devlin producing a venomous strike after a swift Aberdeen move. Graeme Shinnie picked the ball up and played it forward, the ball rebounding off Miovski but into the path of Polvara who collected it and delivered a precise pass into Devlin, allowing him to club the ball across the face of goal and in.

Clyde replaced Rennie with Leslie on 59 minutes. A driving run from MacKenzie was the next problem for the home team, his ball into the near post turned wide of the goal by Polvara. Shinnie wasn’t far away from a third on 67 minutes, Clarkson’s crossfield ball headed down by Devlin, Leighfield just beating the Aberdeen skipper to the ball as he darted into the box. Shinnie then scooped another effort over the bar on 73 minutes, just after Lyon had made way for Stevenson in Clyde’s final change.

The Bully Wee might have found a way back into the game from a corner on 76 minutes, Sula lashing the loose ball over the bar after Roos and Polvara had got in each other’s way. Aberdeen then made their first change of the evening, McGrath and Barron replaced by Duk and Shayden Morris. Within a couple of minutes, Morris was getting treatment after colliding with the barriers behind the goal as he accelerated away from the Clyde defence.

Guèye replaced Miovski after 82 minutes and his full blooded challenge on Peter Grant opened up space for Morris to run into, his shot straight at Leighfield. Grant required treatment before he could carry on.

The home side ended with a flurry, trying to find a consolation goal, but from their 90th minute corner, Aberdeen broke in numbers, Duk just unable to pick out one of his colleagues as they poured forward into the opposition box. It mattered little, the job was already well done.
1 minute added at end 1st half.
3 minutes added at end 2nd half.

N.B. The crowd number quoted here is the "official" one, but there has been speculation that the number was actually higher.