Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Dee denied by Dons at Dens
Dark Blues impress but fall short in Betfred Cup last 16
AS the clock ticked over to stoppage time, the SPFL were ready to add Dundee’s name to the teams in the hat for the quarter-finals of the Betfred Cup.
However, Aberdeen defender Andy Considine had other ideas as he continued his uncanny record of netting against the Dark Blues to send the match to extra-time.
The Dons defender has scored seven goals against Dundee over the years and evidently couldn’t go another 90 minutes without notching against them.
And with the draw for the next round going on at East Fife while play continued at Dens Park, striker Sam Cosgrove turned what had looked all the world like another day of disappointment for the Reds into jubilation in extra-time to set up an away tie at Hearts in the last eight.
Dundee’s record against Aberdeen over the years is nothing short of abject but, with only stoppage time to go, it looked like James McPake’s men would earn the club’s first win over their north-east opponents in the last 16 meetings.
However, for the first time all afternoon, the Dark Blues weren’t able to cage Cosgrove as the big striker’s header created chaos at the back for the home side.
His flick-on set up Greg Leigh to head goalwards and bring a super stop from Jack Hamilton only for the ball to be popped back in and Considine tap in at the far post.
The equaliser was barely deserved for the Dons with Dundee good value for their 1-0 lead.
In extra-time, however, the massive effort every home player had put into keeping the Dons quiet caught up with them with Cosgrove showing his deadliness by nodding home in the 103rd minute.
Despite that late disappointment, there was plenty to shout about from the home support.
Kane Hemmings might have been missing through a knock the manager didn’t want to risk.
His absence wasn’t felt, however, as Danny Johnson did the work of two men up top.
The former ’Well striker looked up for it from the start and gave the Aberdeen backline absolutely no peace.
He got little help from referee Willie Collum with the Dons defenders all over Johnson at every opportunity.
That didn’t stop him, however. After 22 minutes, Cosgrove had it in the middle of the park.
Enter Finn Robertson and, despite giving up about a foot in height, the impressive young midfielder battered into the tackle and came away with the ball.
And he had a pass to go with the tackle, too, as he fed it to the feet of Johnson with his back to goal.
The Englishman rolled his man before hitting goalwards only to be denied by the post.
A strong penalty shout came against Funso Ojo for handball before Willie Collum did point to the spot on 42 minutes.
Jordon Forster was the man who hit the deck under Considine’s grappling and Dundee had the chance to take a deserved lead.
Johnson made no mistake, sending Joe Lewis the wrong way to make it four goals in his first four games for the club – three of them penalties.
At half-time, the Dark Blues were cheered off by the home support while the Dons were booed off by the visiting fans.
And it looked like that would be the case come full-time as Aberdeen failed to really pile the pressure on the Dundee defence.
Half-chances came and went for both sides but it seemed like the home team would be heading through only for Considine to spoil the party.
Heartache for the Dark Blues to be out of the cup but plenty of heart to take for the league campaign ahead.