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Aberdeen 3 - 1 Dumbarton

HT Score: Aberdeen 2 - 0 Dumbarton

League Cup Second Round
Aberdeen scorers: Zdrilic 15, Hinds 45, Zdrilic 49.
Dumbarton scorers: Obidile 75

23/09/2003 | KO: 19:45

Dons ease through

Aberdeen made it into the last sixteen of the CIS Cup with an unconvincing showing against Dumbarton. Only 3,944 fans turned up to see David Zdrilic fire the home side into a two-goal lead at the interval. In between the two strikes the visitors hit the Dons woodwork twice. When Hinds made it 3-0 in the 49th minute it looked as though the home side might go nap. However they failed to really threaten the Dumbarton defence and the visitors grabbed a deserved consolation in the 79th minute.

Dumbarton kicked off against an Aberdeen side adopting a 3-5-2 formation for the evening. Not surprisingly Aberdeen took the initiative and won the first corner of the match in the 3rd minute. Tosh was the first to have a shot at goal three minutes later, but his effort drifted over the bar. Zdrilic went close in the 8th minute when he headed wide with Grindlay scrambling across his goal. Dumbarton then showed that they weren't here to make up the numbers when Boyle hit a powerful drive inches wide with 10 minutes on the clock.

Aberdeen almost broke the deadlock in the 14th minute when Zdrilic headed a McNaughton cross into the path of Tosh. The keeper did well to block the midfielder's effort, but could do nothing a minute later to prevent Zdrilic from opening the scoring. As a Tosh corner was delivered, the visiting defence was slow to react and the big Aussie nipped in to tuck the ball away. The second division side were far from finished however and in the 22nd minute they produced some fine passing play which ended with Bonar crashing a shot off the woodwork.

A minute later Sheerin hit a low drive, which also hit the woodwork before skidding to safety. Tosh once again tested the keeper on the half hour mark, but Grindlay clutched the ball safely as Zdrilic waited to pounce on any spill. The visitors were cruelly denied an equaliser in the 32nd minute when Bradley once more found the woodwork following a well-worked free kick. Seconds later Donald headed inches over as the Dons lead began to look fragile.

McNaughton had a chance to extend the home side's lead in the 34th minute, but fired his shot straight at the keeper. Aberdeen were finding little luck in opening up the Dumbarton defence and a wild shot by Heikkinen in the 42nd minute and an equally poor effort by McNaughton a minute later summed it up. Just as the half seemed to be drifting to its conclusion the Dons grabbed a vital second goal when Zdrilic turned in a McNaughton cross on the stroke of half time.

Aberdeen made sure of their progression in the 49th minute when Zdrilic turned provider setting up Leigh Hinds to make it 3-0. To their credit Dumbarton never let their heads go down and kept a positive attitude in a bid to entertain the 3,944 fans. With the game won, Dons boss Steve Paterson introduced Deloumeaux and Muirhead in place of Heikkinen and McQuilken.

The Dons continued to carve out half chances with little conviction, but Dumbarton went closest in the 75th minute when Dillon headed a Russell cross wide. The visitors did grab a goal four minutes later as poor defending allowed Obidile through and the striker calmly buried the ball beyond Preece. Dumbarton pressed for a second, but Aberdeen kept them at bay without really threatening to add to their own tally.

Dumbarton Teamsheet
Grindlay, McKinstry, Brittain, Collins, Duffy, Dobbins, Bonar, Donald (Flannery 77), Obidile, Bradley (Russell 53), Boyle. Unused Subs:
Attendance: 3,944
Visitors:137
Venue: Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen
Referee: W. G.Young, Clarkston
Next Match
Celtic
H
04 Dec 2024 / 20:00 / Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen