RUNNING SCARED
Lewis: Dons must start being fearless to get out of this rut
JOE LEWIS told his team-mates they must play without fear if Aberdeen’s Cup campaign is not to finish on a frightening note.
Wednesday’s 1-0 reverse against St Johnstone made it four games without a goal for the Dons.
In fact, a Sam Cosgrove penalty to sink Scottish Cup fourth-round foes Dumbarton remains their only strike since returning from the winter break.
Kilmarnock turn up at Pittodrie tomorrow for the tie that spot-kick secured and skipper Lewis admits his side must release the handbrake.
The keeper said: “We spoke after the St Johnstone game. It is down to the senior members, including myself, to lift the boys.
“There is nothing to be scared about. We need to play with a freedom because we have good defenders and if we lose the ball in the attacking areas, there is nothing to be worried about.
“We have to play without the handbrake on and have a freedom going forward. There is no magic wand. We need to do it ourselves, be mature and adult about it, and meet things head on.” A four-game winless run that has seen them lose to Saints and Motherwell plus draw with St Mirren and Rangers has resulted in the Red Army turning on gaffer Derek McInnes and booing their side off in consecutive home matches.
Lewis said: “We have to be mature enough to deal with some abuse or boos from supporters, whatever it is. We need to be stronger than that.
“The frustration from supporters is understandable and there is an equal frustration in the dressing room over the results.
“No one is going to do it for us. We need to find a spark and some creativity to bring chances and goals for Saturday. We need to keep working at it. No one can flick a switch and it will happen.
“It will need to come from hard work on the training pitch so we can come up with something different. The last couple of home performances haven’t been good enough.”
Well and St Johnstone have both turned up in the Granite City to defend and hit on the counter.
Killie may look to do something similar against a Dons side likely to be without defender Ash Taylor due to a calf problem.
Lewis said: “It was frustrating. It has been a bit of a theme with teams coming to Pittodrie to frustrate us.
“They have been effective and we haven’t been inventive enough or played with enough freedom to break teams down. We haven’t carried that threat and the last two home games we have conceded poor goals.
“We hardly troubled Zander Clark. We went close with Niall McGinn’s free-kick and he had a save from Ryan Hedges. We need to try to find some confidence from somewhere.”