St. Johnstone 1 - 2 Aberdeen

Aberdeen got the Premiership season off to a flying start as their attacking prowess proved too much for St Johnstone to handle, the Dons making it five wins out of five this term under new boss Jimmy Thelin.

There was one change for the Aberdeen side that beat Dumbarton 6-0, Bojan Miovsi coming in for his first start of the season, replacing the injured Leighton Clarkson. Alfie Stewart was added to the bench.

St Johnstone beat East Fife 5-1 at home in their last League Cup group game but made two changes, Lewis Neilson and Aaron Essel replacing Graham Carey and David Keltjens.

In a terrific atmosphere at McDiarmid Park, it was a good start from the hosts, Neilson letting fly from 25 yards, but it took a deflection off Sidibeh on the way through and flew over the bar in the second minute.

Raymond was booked on eight minutes for a late, high tackle on Graeme Shinnie on the halfway line. The tackle was reviewed, but VAR decided to stick with the yellow card.

Saints could have been ahead on 11 minutes from a corner on their left. Neilson got up highest in the middle of the goal, but there was too much on his glancing header and it drifted wide of the far post.

It was the Dons who looked to be in front two minutes later after a lovely move down the right involving Nicky Devlin, Miovski and Shinnie, who threaded the ball through for Ester Sokler to gallop onto. He rounded the goalkeeper and slotted in, only to see the offside flag go up.

The very impressive Sivert Heltne Nilsen was next to threaten, Jamie McGrath’s corner picking him out at the back post, but Rae palmed his header over the bar on 16 minutes. Three minutes later, good possession play from Aberdeen culminated in Shinnie poking a shot wide of the target.

McGrath was off on the run on 21, galloping down the left before finding Miovski at the back post, his low shot on the swivel blocked to safety. Aberdeen quickly got the ball back, and from 25 yards out, it was Miovski again, a waspish shot from distance that soared over Rae but thumped against the bar.

The Dons kept piling on the pressure, Miovski’s clever ball around the corner getting Sokler in behind the defence, but he was denied by Rae’s outstretched leg. The goal was coming though and on 23, come it did. From the resulting corner, McGrath produced a terrific delivery into the centre of the box, Devlin up well to glance his header into the bottom corner with the Saints defence chasing shadows.

Miovski was close again at the end of a nice Aberdeen move that went from side to side before Devlin rolled the ball into Miovski’s path. From a tight angle, he forced Rae into a sharp save at his near post in the 32nd minute. A minute later, Sokler put the ball over the bar with a glancing header at the near post. Essel was then booked after an aerial challenge with Slobodan Rubezic.

There was a moment of danger in the first minute of added time, Kimpioka unleashing a vicious volley from 25 yards out that flew just over the bar. Shayden Morris responded moments later, drifting inside from the right and drilling in a low shot that Rae grabbed gratefully.

Although the home side finished strongly, Aberdeen should have been further ahead.

HALF-TIME: ST JOHNSTONE 0 ABERDEEN 1

The second half began with McClelland needing immediate treatment after a seemingly innocuous collision with Miovski. He was unable to continue, the stretcher required to take him from the pitch. Sanders replaced him.

Smith had the first real dig at goal of the second half, his volley from 25 yards drifting well over in the 55th minute, part of a better opening to the half from the hosts after the first 45 minutes of Dons dominance.

Kimpioka wasn’t too far away on 62 minutes, MacPherson playing into Smith who rolled it onto Kimpioka, but his effort from the edge of the area was pulled wide.

That livened up Aberdeen and within 30 seconds it was 2-0 through McGrath. Morris won the ball on halfway and played into Sokler. First time, he pinged it on to Hetlne Nilsen who produced his own first time slide rule pass into the run of McGrath who finished with precision inside the near post.

Pape Gueye replaced Sokler before the game resumed and he immediately fed Morris who dashed forward 30 yards before his shot was deflected wide of the target.

Gavin Molloy was inches away from a third on 70 minutes, McGrath’s free-kick from deep, out on the right touchline, reaching the centre-half who glanced his header across goal and just wide.

Carey then replaced Essel for the home team, before Morris needed treatment in the 74th minute, quickly making way for Peter Ambrose.

Dimitar Mitov was called into action as the Dons went to sleep on an 80th minute corner that was played back to the edge of the area where Smith was standing all alone. His effort was curling towards the far post, but Mitov went full stretch to paw the ball away to safety.

It was a last throw of the dice for the home side on 86 minutes, Kimpioka and MacPherson replaced by Clark and Kirk. It paid immediate dividends, for Saints had one back two minutes later. Kirk accelerated inside from the right and drove a low cross into the box, the ball thumping into Molloy and flashing into the bottom corner.

With nine minutes added on, back came the Dons, a clipped shot by Miovski from the edge of the box deflected just over the bar. Moments later, it was Mitov making a low save from Kirk as suddenly, the game was going from end to end.

A final minute corner saw Rae come up for the corner and stay up for another as the Dons struggled to clear their lines. Carey’s delivery was poor, cleared for a throw, and the Dons had their three points.

Aberdeen made it harder than it should have been, but showed good character to get the job done.

3 minutes added at end 1st half.
9 minutes added at end 2nd half.