MOTHERWELL...... ABERDEEN.....
ABERDEEN dropped to fourth after failing to break down a Motherwell side who succeeded in stopping the bleeding after four straight defeats – but had no cutting edge.
Derek McInnes’ men had the majority of the ball and chances but rarely looked like breaking down the well-marshalled Fir Park rearguard, who had kept Rangers at bay for more than 70 minutes at the weekend and were equally resolute in carving out a point that keeps them in the top six.
They might have been handed a couple of Covid-related 3-0 wins by the SPFL but the victory by the same scoreline at Pittodrie earlier in the season came under Well’s own steam.
That was arguably their performance of the season and how boss Stephen Robinson could have done with a repeat after going through a horror run of five defeats and a draw since their last win, against Livingston on Halloween.
Here they were, two nights before Christmas, looking to end that sequence against a Reds outfit that had recovered from their own wobble of four matches without a win to take six points from their last two games.
They’d also lost just one game away from home in the league – at Ibrox – and were looking to stay third or move into second should Celtic have slipped up.
They’ve still only had one loss away from Pittodrie but that was scant consolation as they left Lanarkshire feeling they’d dropped two points here.
It was also a red letter night for defender Andy Considine, making his 500th league appearance for the Dons and it was his side who threatened first.
Matty Kennedy made ground down the right and his low cross was cleverly flicked into Curtis Main’s path by Ryan Hedges but the former Motherwell striker found the angle just too tight.
McInnes’ men also shouted loud and long for a penalty, claiming a Well handball at a corner three minutes later, but ref Greg Aitken gave a foul against Main.
Aberdeen came close to scoring in what would have been controversial circumstances in the 13th minute when Aitken awarded them a corner that the home side were convinced should have been a throw-in.
Hedges delivered the flag kick on to Main’s head six yards out and the striker should have done better than hit the top of the bar.
McInnes’ men continued to look dangerous and only a terrific Jordan Archer save denied Jonny Hayes after Hedges knocked a short free-kick to the Irishman on the edge of the box.
Having survived those scares, Well gradually edged their way back into the match as the interval approached, although they rarely troubled Joe Lewis.
In fact, the keeper’s only save of the first half was a straightforward stop from a Mark O’Hara free-kick.
Aberdeen introduced Sam Cosgrove for Connor McLennan at the start of the second half.
The switch allowed the lively Hedges to drop a little deeper in a bid to make things happen but the pattern remained the same – loads of effort but precious little quality from either side.
Hedges was the one who looked the most likely to make something happen and he created a half- chance for Considine to mark his milestone with a goal but the defender’s clipped shot from the Welshman’s low cross was deflected for a corner 10 minutes after the break.
And he started another decent move that allowed Main to cross for his strike partner Cosgrove, who was denied only by Ricki Lamie’s fine block.
Boss Robinson then threw on Devante Cole for Callum Lang. And Cole did deliver a fine ball across the face of goal that found no takers but Aberdeen continued to look the most likely to break the deadlock, although they couldn’t force another save from Archer. Liam Grimshaw’s positional sense to get in front of Matty Kennedy and deny him a header at goal from six yards in the 78th minute showed Well were giving nothing away. And they almost snatched it in a breakaway as Tony Watt cut back for Liam Polworth, whose goal- bound effort was blocked by Ash Taylor.