Aberdeen 4 - 1 Dundee

Normal service was resumed at Pittodrie as the Dons extended their unbeaten league run with a ferocious second half display that saw off a feisty Dundee challenge.

After the Premier Sports Cup Semi-final last weekend, Aberdeen made two changes, Jamie McGrath and Sivert Heltne Nielsen both missing from the matchday squad, Ante Palaversa and Leighton Clarkson coming into the team. Kevin Nisbet returned to the bench, along with Alfie Stewart.

Dundee staged a late comeback to beat Kilmarnock 3-2 last Saturday and made two changes for this game, Antonio Portales and Ethan Ingram replaced by Jordan McGhee and Josh Mulligan.

There was an energetic start to the game and Dundee were a fraction away from opening the scoring on eight minutes, a deep cross from Cameron picking out Adewumi in space at the back post. Trying to guide the ball into the net, his effort clipped the post and squirmed to safety.

Graeme Shinnie took the game to the visitors a minute later, playing a neat one-two with Topi Keskinen across the top of the area, skipping around an outstretched leg that he might have chosen to fall over, but while his cross eluded McCracken, it was hacked to safety by a defender.

Astley was booked on 11 minutes for hauling down Ester Sokler as he darted after a through ball. Moments later, Sokler was on the end of a Clarkson free-kick into the box, but got too much on his header and sent it wide of goal.

Adewumi was the danger man again on the quarter hour, getting away from Slobodan Rubezic, Dimitar Mitov in sharp action to save his low shot at goal. Mitov then started an attack on 19, chipping out to Shinnie, whose raking pass found Duk. He surged goalwards but was denied at the near post by a sharp save from McCracken. The same two were duelling again a minute later, good ball winning from Clarkson sending Duk on his way, but McCracken was equal to the effort once more.

Murray was next to threaten after a good run forward by Cameron after 34 minutes, the Dundee skipper turning and getting off a snapshot that Mitov clutched low to his left. Devlin was booked for pulling Cameron’s shirt a minute later. Rubezic was carded for dragging down Adewumi after 42 minutes.

Gavin Molloy tangled with Murray as they chased a long ball on 44 minutes. Molloy was looking for it to go out but it held up on the touchline and the Dons defender dragged his opponent to the floor, a clear penalty for the visitors. Murray stepped up to take, but Mitov went to his left and pawed it away to safety, Palmer-Houlden blazing the rebound wide of goal. The Dons were quickly up the other end, McCracken down sharply to save a 20 harder from Keskinen.

HALF-TIME: ABERDEEN 0 DUNDEE 0

On 52 minutes, Aberdeen’s early second half pressure paid off as Palaversa had his side ahead. Dundee weren’t quite able to clear a corner and as the ball pinballed around, Palaversa came onto it just inside the area, hooking his shot across the face and just inside the far post.

It could have been two after 56, Clarkson’s near post coming towards Duk who got up and improvised a clever back header that thumped against the bar and away. But we only had to wait a minute for the second goal to arrive. Palaversa flicked a Devlin throw into the box and Keskinen ran onto it to force his way beyond a defender before driving a shot low and through McCracken.

Dundee weren’t finished though and Mitov had to make a good save down to his right from Palmer-Houlden after 63 minutes, Devlin then making a good block from Adewumi. He and McGhee were then replaced by Ingram and Tiffoney. Shayden Morris came on for Keskinen three minutes later.

Dundee were back in it on 70 from a throw on the left. Tiffoney picked up the ball and floated in a dangerous cross which Murray glanced beyond Mitov with a deft header across goal. Aberdeen responded with an immediate substitution, Kevin Nisbet and Vicente Besuijen coming on for Sokler and Clarkson.

It had an instant impact too, a quickly taken free-kick on halfway from Nisbet picking out the darting run from Besuijen who got in between the centre-halves and clipped his shot into the bottom corner to make it 3-1.

Tiffoney was a threat again after 77 minutes as Dundee were on the break, his dangerous curling effort clipping off Rubezic and going just wide. In the aftermath, Larkeche went off injured, Koumetio coming on for him. Palaversa was booked for a foul on Koumetio after 84 minutes.

Nisbet worked McCracken on 84 minutes, the keeper going to his left to make a flying save from a fierce 20 yarder, and immediately after, Duk and Devlin made way for Peter Ambrose and Jack Milne.

Nisbet had another shot from distance on 88, the ball flashing just over the bar. Murray and Mulligan were replaced by Main and Finlay Robertson as we headed into added time, Shinnie fizzing a 96th minute drive just over the bar from a well worked corner.

But there was a fourth goal to come, Morris breaking down the right before pulling the ball back into Nisbet. From 20 yards out, he flashed another drive at goal, the ball clipping Astley on its way past McCracken. Another big three points for Aberdeen, straight back to winning ways.

1 minute added at end 1st half.
7 minutes added at end 2nd half.