St Johnstone 0 – 1 Aberdeen
McDiarmid Park
20/08/20
Aberdeen kicked on after being kicked in the past two weeks. A late winner from substitute Ryan Hedges was enough in a scrappy affair at McDiarmid Park.
Hedges cut inside the box and let rip a low shot that squeezed through a group of bodies and rolled into the un-sighted Eliott Parish’s net.
–Touch of the light blues for Dons in opening defeat to Rangers
The Dons have taken heavy criticism over the past two weeks after the indiscretion of eight players being forced to isolate having visited a city centre bar.
Former Saints manager Derek McInnes said he wanted to get back to concentrating on what happens on the pitch after he’d called out the “hypocrites” who took relief at seeing Aberdeen being the ones caught out in the maelstrom of the coronavirus pandemic, with mutings about a points deduction being demanded for the Dons.
Aberdeen had to prove a lot in a tricky tie having won just a single game in seven against St Johnstone
It was the Saints who started on the front-foot, Ash Taylor looking uncomfortable as the focal point of a back three. His misplaced pass on four minutes was intercepted by the Saints and worked out to McNamara who put in a dangerous cross which Taylor made amends to clear.
Aberdeen’s first chance came through good link up play between Dons’ stand-in strikers Niall McGinn and Scott Wright – Derek McInnes’ striking problems being so severe at the moment he was calling on Wright who hadn’t made a first team appearance in almost a year.
Ronny Hernandez’s throw-in went to Aberdeen’s forgotten number 25 who had time to turn and play in McGinn. The Northern Irishman got his shot away which was easily held by Saint’s keeper Elliot Parish.
St Johnstone’s first chance came to full-back Danny McNamara who was causing problems with his penetrating runs behind Jonny Hayes. On fifteen minutes McNamara made a jinking run to the edge of the Dons’ box and got a powerful shot away that was tipped over the bar by Joe Lewis.
Rising out of the lethargy a second round of lockdown can cause, Aberdeen were getting more into the contest as the game wore on and their zippy passing in the middle of the half carved open an audacious effort for Funso Ojo.
Makeshift striker Wright dropped short to collect the ball and broke the midfield line. His run was clearly being impeded by Jason Kerr tugging at his shirt but still the Aberdonian managed to pass it out to Hayes who fired a bullet of a cross into the box which Ojo did well to meet. The Dons’ midfielder made an acrobatic if not rather stiff attempt at a volley trying to guide Hayes’ cross goalwards which looped just over the bar.
Digging deep in the second half
McInnes reverted to a 442 as play resumed, taking off the ineffective Hernandez for Matty Kennedy, with Dean Campbell making way for Connor McLennan. Both subs were put onto the wing with Tommie Hoban reverting to centre-half to provide Taylor more support – required as the Saints’ continued to press.
On fifty minutes Hayes clearance deflected off McNamara with Callum Hendry getting to the rebound first, but the son of Scotland great Colin blazed his shot over from twenty yards.
Saints’ midfield pressure was making Aberdeen play long balls to the forwards but without the presence of Main or Cosgrove, McGinn and co couldn’t make the ball stick on the rain sodden surface.
Whilst the Saints’ were landing some quick counter punches at the labouring Dons, St Johnstone head coach Callum Davidson looked as lost as anyone trying to work out how to break this rather stale stalemate.
Aberdeen came close to trying to set some fireworks off in the rain when on sixty-seven minutes Hoban rose highest to meet a lofted freekick but glanced his header wide.
Right after that McInnes turned to another of the infamous octet to try ignite something in the game, Funso Ojo being replaced by Craig Bryson.
The breakthrough finally came on eighty-one minutes. Ryan Hedges cut inside after the ball was fed out to him by Bryson. Hedges maneuvered himself to the edge of the Saints’ box and rifled a low shot that went through Hayes and Saints’ defender Liam Gordon, leaving Parish hapless as the ball rolled into his net.
Man of the match
Ryan Hedges’ cameo and late winner were enough to earn him the MOTM after keeping his composure to give Aberdeen their first win of the season.
McRorie watch
Aberdeen’s new man – the first active player to move between Rangers and Aberdeen since 1969 – made a solid start to his Dons’ career, marshaling the right wing with authority, looking comfortable on the ball and making some vital inceptions, including a goalscoring clearance from a corner midway through the second half.
St Johnstone, 3-4-3: Parish, Kerr (c), Gordon, McCart, McNamara, Tanser, Craig, McCann, Wotherspoon, O’Halloran, Hendry
Subs: Sinclair, Wallace, Duffy, Rooney, Conway, Olaofe, Robertson, Ballantyne
Aberdeen, 3-5-2: Lewis (c), Hernandez, Taylor, Hoban, Hayes, McCrorie, Ferguson, Campbell, Ojo, Wright, McGinn
Subs: Cerny, Logan, McKenzie, McGeouch, Bryson, McLennan, Hedges, Kennedy, Ruth
Goals: Hedges 81’
Up next
Both sides play on Sunday. Aberdeen host Livingston at Pittodrie, kick-off 3pm, and Saints welcome free-wheeling Hibernian to Perth, kick-off 1630.
Harry Jamshid Reporter Sports Pages 