Aberdeen 1 - 0 Queens Park

Finally, it was the Finn with the finish as the Dons were pushed all the way by Queen’s Park before debutant Topi Keskinen found the added time goal to send his team into the quarter-final of the Premier Sports Cup.

There was one change from the Dons side that defeated St Mirren 3-1 last Sunday, Jack Milne replacing the suspended Slobodan Rubezic. Ante Palaversa and Topi Keskinen both got their first Aberdeen matchday involvement, starting on the bench. Angus MacDonald and Alfie Bavidge were also among the subs.

There were two changes to the Queen’s Park side that drew 1-1 at home to Livingston last Friday night, with Roddy MacGregor and Zach Mauchin replaced by Nikola Ujdur and Jack Thomson.

Aberdeen started confidently and a lovely, lengthy passing move in the fourth minute culminated in Sivert Heltne Nilsen clipping the ball over the defence for Nicky Devlin to run on to, but his shot from a tight angle was deflected behind.

Eight minutes in and Jack MacKenzie cut inside to collect a neat pass from Jamie McGrath, his low shot blocked in the six yard box by Turner. Pape Gueye was yellow carded five minutes later for a challenge on Ferrie as the visiting goalkeeper went for a high ball.

Raw pace from Shayden Morris opened Queen’s Park up down the right on 15 minutes. His cross picked out McGrath, but he miskicked as he went to shoot and the away side cleared their lines.

Rudden should have had them in front after 17 minutes, a slip from Milne initially causing problems, but the young Aberdeen centre-half swiftly made amends by getting back into the six yard box to block Rudden’s goalbound effort.

Gavin Molloy caused Queen’s Park problems in the 24th minute, McGrath’s deep corner reaching Devlin at the back post. He headed back across goal as far as Molloy around the penalty spot, but his header was clutched by Ferrie.

Dimi Mitov had to make a better save on 28, down quickly after Turner made a good connection with his drive from 14 yards out after pouncing on a miscued clearance from Molloy.

Scott was booked on 35 minutes as he hauled down Morris who was accelerating away from him once again. From the free-kick, from an acute angle, Graeme Shinnie tried to swing the ball inside the near post, Ferrie acrobatically punching the ball clear.

Ferrie was in acrobatic action again on 37 minutes, the Dons keeping a corner alive for Milne to curl in a cross. Gueye was up to meet it, his powerful header looking bound for the net until Ferrie clawed it to safety with a terrific save.

Ferrie kept his side on terms again on 42 minutes, MacKenzie galloping onto Heltne Nilsen’s pass and blasting a shot into the near post, Ferrie palming it away.

HALF-TIME: ABERDEEN 0 QUEEN’S PARK 0

Vicente Besuijen replaced Pape Gueye for Aberdeen at the break.

Rudden was aggressive again at the start of the second half, firing in a low effort from 20 yards that saw Mitov down to his right to save. Seconds later, Ester Sokler had the ball in the net, only to be denied by the offside flag.

On 51, Besuijen and McGrath combined well to get MacKenzie in behind but with Ferrie coming out to narrow the angle, he put his shot into the side netting.

It was the other full-back who was on the end of a good move on 54 minutes. Aberdeen played their way out of trouble from the back before Sokler picked out the advancing Devlin, but he dragged his shot across goal and wide of the far post, though he was adamant that Ferrie had got fingertips to the ball to push it behind. Two minutes later, Sokler headed over from close range from Besuijen’s cross.

After 57 minutes, Keskinen made his Aberdeen debut, replacing Morris, then Milne needed treatment on an injury five minutes later before continuing. Queen’s Park used that as an opportunity to make a triple change, with MacGregor, Hinds and Fieldson replacing Thomson, Longridge and Ujdur.

Besuijen was booked on 73 minutes, presumably for simulation. MacKenzie replaced Scott for the visitors on 74, Sokler and MacKenzie making way for Peter Ambrose and James McGarry on 78 as Jimmy Thelin tried to unlock the second half stalemate. MacGregor was booked on 86 for a foul on Keskinen, McGarry booked for a foul on Hinds a minute later.

Finally, the Dons were in front on 92 minutes. Continuing to probe patiently at the massed ranks of the Queen’s Park defence, Heltne Nilsen rolled the ball into the path of Keskinen, 14 yards out with his back to goal. His first touch, a drag back, took him away from the defence, his second rifled it past Ferrie for 1-0. The Premier Sports Cup quarter-finals await.

2 minutes added at end 1st half.
6 minutes added at end 2nd half.