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Kilmarnock 1 - 1 Aberdeen

HT Score: Kilmarnock 0 - 0 Aberdeen

SPL
Kilmarnock scorers: Invincible 78
Aberdeen scorers: McDonald 84.

03/10/2009 | KO: 15:00

Dons Fight Back for Point as Shutout Record Ends

Aberdeen had to settle for a draw at Rugby Park as they finally conceded their first away goal of the campaign. Kilmarnock looked to have won the match when Danny Invincible fired a low shot beyond Jamie Langfield with 12 minutes remaining. The Dons refused to fold however and Brown made a mistake with a Mulgrew free kick in the 84th minute and Gary McDonald was on hand to punish his old team. A draw was deserved as both sides battled it out in poor conditions.

Aberdeen kicked off in stormy conditions as the Dons looked to make it six shut out's in a row. Kilmarnock were first to threaten as a Bryson cross caused problems at the back before the ball was cleared. Both sides were struggling to create anything in the opening stages as the weather conditions took control. Pawlett did well to conjure up a header at the back post in the 8th minute, but his effort went inches wide of the target. A minute later a Hay cross caused havoc in the Dons box and they were lucky to escape punishment as Langfield got down quick to divert the ball out of the path of Sammon.

Paton and Pawlett combined well in the 11th minute, but Miller was flagged offside rather controversially as McDonald finished the move with a neat shot. The call must have been tight, but only the TV cameras can confirm the decision. Three minutes later Maguire showed good skill, but his final ball was a disappointment. A poor clearance from Considine produced the first corner of the game and the Dons were lucky to escape punishment again as Langfield missed the ball under pressure and watched as it went over the bar.

Aberdeen then won their first corner in the 20th minute following good play between Kerr and McDonald. The set play failed to threaten the home goal, but two minutes later Langfield made a comfortable save. Mulgrew swung in a dangerous cross in the 23rd minute and Paton was unlucky as his shot was deflected over via the Kilmarnock bar. At the other end Kilmarnock broke quickly and the defence hardly covered themselves in glory before Langfield saved the day.

Good pressure in the 27th minute had Kilmarnock hanging on, but all the Dons could produce was another corner. The Dons couldn't find the net and Kilmarnock then forced a couple of corners themselves as both looked to break the deadlock. As the rain started to fall again the game went into a lull as conditions deteriorated rapidly. With five minutes of the half remaining the game was stretched as play raged from end to end, but neither team could find the final killer ball.

A Kilmarnock free kick in the 42nd minute caused the Dons defence all sorts of problems in the rain, but they eventually managed to scramble the ball clear. At the other end Mulgrew had a chance to deliver a good ball, but the quick free kick took Kilmarnock by surprise without causing any problems. In the dying seconds a Mulgrew free kick was disappointing as the game petered out.

Fraser Wright picked up an early knock, but was able to continue after treatment. Kilmarnock won a free kick on the edge of the box with Charlie Mulgrew protesting his innocence. Langfield produced a great save from the set play as he dived full stretch to turn the ball round the post. Aberdeen broke from the subsequent corner, but the home side managed to get back to clear. Kilmarnock had made a better start to the second half and they won another corner in the 55th minute. The ball was whipped across the face of the Dons goal and once again the reds were lucky to escape.

Langfield was the hero again a minute later as Fernandez skipped down the wing and swung over a cross where he found Sammon. The keeper looked to have opened the scoring, but Langfield made another great save to deny him. Aberdeen won a free kick in the 58th minute as Maguire went down to an awkward challenge from Bryson. The Dons failed to make anything of the chance as they looked to struggle since the re start. A Maguire move won the Dons a corner in the 62nd minute with Pawlett screaming for the ball.

The corner failed to threaten then a minute later Pawlett had a chance, but his finish was disappointing. Good play from Paton then Mulgrew set Lee Miller up, but again the ball slipped wide of the target. Kilmarnock won a corner in the 68th minute, but the ball was played directly out of play much to the frustration of the home fans. Two minutes later Sammon turned Considine and beat both Langfield and fortunately for the Dons the far post. A Bryson shot went wide in the 75th minute as it looked like one goal could decide this.

Maguire collected the first yellow card of the match two minutes later for a late challenge on Bryson. Langfield then made a fine save from Invincible as the home side looked the more likely. This proved to be the case seconds later when Invincible drilled the ball low past Langfield to concede the Dons first away goal of the season. Seconds later Maguire went close to drawing the Dons level, but Brown made a fine save. Pawlett won a free kick in the 82nd minute, but Mulgrew went for an ambitious strike that went over the bar.

Mulgrew tried another ambitious effort in the 84th minute and this time the ball went loose from keeper Brown and Gary McDonald bundled it over the line to score against his old side. A Bryson shot went wide of the target in the 86th minute as both sides looked for the elusive winner late in the game. A long throw from Mulgrew produced muted calls for a penalty before Foster slipped allowing Russell to fire wide when he really should have wrapped up the points.

A good shot on the turn from Maguire was saved by Brown in the 90th minute before Megginson came on for injury time to replace the ever impressive Pawlett. The youngster almost made a dramatic debut as he forced a save from Brown after getting on to the end of a Mulgrew cross. There were no further chances and the Dons had to be happy with the point despite losing their clean sheet record.

Kilmarnock Teamsheet
Brown, Old (Fowler 69), Hay, Wright, O'Leary, Bryson, Skelton, Hamill, Invincible, Fernandez (Russell 77), Sammon. Unused Subs: Flannigan, Bell, Taouil, Owens, Kelly.

Bookings:  Wright 80.
Aberdeen Teamsheet
Langfield, Duff, Mulgrew, Considine, Foster, Kerr, McDonald, Pawlett (Megginson 90), Maguire, Paton, Miller.

Unused Subs: Nelson, Mackie, Young, Ross, Smith, Stewart.

Bookings:  McDonald (76).
Attendance: 4,997
Venue: Rugby Park, Kilmarnock
Referee: Willie Collum, Carfin
Next Match
Hibernian
H
21 Dec 2024 / 15:00 / Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen