Aberdeen 2 - 0 St. Mirren

Aberdeen moved into second place this afternoon as Darren Mackie came off the bench to claim an important double. There had been little to cheer the fans in the first half but the Dons slowly took a grip of the game after the break and when Mackie replaced Lovell midway through the second half the goals came. A Dempsey free kick produced the first and a break from Jamie Smith carved out the second for the Dons striker as the Dons won their fourth straight home win.

St. Mirren kicked off this match but it was Miller and Lovell who almost linked in the second minute before the visitor's cleared. Both sides saw plenty of the ball in the early stages but neither were able to carve out a decent opportunity. Broadfoot run into Russell Anderson and won a soft free kick before Jamie Smith received a kick in the head from Hugh Murray. Smith required extensive treatment before returning to the field of play. Sutton looked to have turned Anderson in the 11th minute but was penalised by the assistant referee.

The Buddies were battling hard at this stage and giving the Dons little time on the ball. This lead to little goalmouth action and there were still no attempts on goal after 20 minutes of frenetic football. Even the only corner of the match was played straight into Jamie Langfield?s arms. Sutton managed the first shot on goal in the 24th minute, but it hardly merited the name as the ball rolled slowly into the arms of Jamie Langfield. The Dons cleared another free kick a minute later as the game became extremely scrappy.

Better play from Anderson produced the Dons first attempt in the 27th minute when he beat two defenders on the edge of the box and looked for a one-two with Nicholson, but the ex Par drilled in a shot that went high over the bar. At the other end Langfield comfortably held another free kick before Broadfoot was forced to concede the Dons first corner as he cleared a Nicholson cross. A second corner followed but the set play was poor allowing Saints to break. Millen blocked a Dempsey drive in the 35th minute as Aberdeen enjoyed their best spell of pressure that ended with a poor finish from Lovell that failed to test the keeper in the 36th minute.

A third corner was won a minute later but once again the Dons failed to capitalise. Nicholson then tested Bullock in the 41st minute with a low drive that was well held and at the other end Mehmet hit the side netting after a mistake from Foster. Severin then had a dig at goal from 40 yards but once again Bullock was equal to the task. At the other end Sutton tested Langfield but there were few surprised that this first half ended goalless.

Lovell had an early sniff at goal in the 46th minute but Potter was quick to snap in a tackle to deny the forward. Aberdeen were not getting their own way by any means but won a corner in the 54th minute and an important interception denied Dempsey at the back post. Clark was then set up by Lovell on the edge of the box but drilled his effort well wide of target. Two minutes later Anderson was up with his forwards and tested Bullock with a header as he pounced on a Dempsey cross. Foster then had a chance wide right but his first touch allowed Bullock to collect. Considine replaced Nicholson in the 63rd minute allowing Severin to move into the midfield.

A Dons corner a minute later had Van Zanten heading a Severin effort off the goal line. Another couple of corners in the 66th minute increased the pressure as Bullock picked an Anderson header out of the air. St. Mirren threatened two minutes later when a Lappin free kick was headed wide. A second corner followed as Aberdeen were pinned back for a short spell. Mackie replaced the tiring Lovell in the 69th minute and it was he who broke the deadlock in the 78th minute. A Dempsey free kick was headed back across the goal and forced home by the substitute.

Aberdeen almost added a second two minutes later when Foster did well on the right and found Miller in the box. His shot was blocked and Severin drilled the ball low and Bullock spilled the ball but no Dons player was able to pounce on the loose ball. Mehmet then had a shot deflected over the bar as the Saints looked to level. It was Aberdeen who sealed the game however as Jamie Smith broke forward, beat Broadfoot and released Mackie who calmly slotted the ball past the keeper for a vital brace and possibly a turning point in this campaign.

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Match Stats:

		Dons	Saints
Goal Attempts		9	3
On Target		7	2
Corners		8	4
Possession		58%	42%

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