Del: Crazy 5 minutes cost Dons the game
DEREK MCINNES admits Aberdeen’s missed chances came back to haunt them as they crashed to a 3-0 defeat to Rangers.
The Dons saw their lead over Pedro Caixinha’s side in the Premiership standings cut to nine points as their unbeaten home run came to an end.
Kenny Miller hit a late double before Joe Dodoo completed the scoring to clinch a crucial win for the Light Blues.
Aberdeen had their chances in the second half but keeper Wes Foderingham pulled off a string of impressive stops before Rangers snatched all three points.
Boss McInnes said: “Yeah there was no real indication of that. I thought we were the better team throughout, I thought we started the first half better and then I think the latter part of the first half was a bit untidy.
“At half-time I was keen to stress the message that we needed to play more and show more of an attacking threat.
“I don’t think we offered enough in the final third. McInnes was left furious at first goal While we looked comfortable throughout the game, didn’t look in any real danger of losing a goal, I wanted more in an attacking sense.
“I thought we did that in the second half. I thought we were in complete charge of the game, their goalkeeper made a couple of saves, one in particular from Adam Rooney.
“In a lot of games where teams sit in against us we’ve found a way to get a late winner. But the need to concentrate against good players should be there for 90 minutes.
“We lost a very poor goal, but it was the response to losing the first goal I was more disappointed with.
“There was still plenty of time in the game, we were still the dominant team, and we’ve allowed a crazy four or five minutes to ultimately lose us the game.”
PEDRO CAIXINHA was prepared for the battle. He led and his Rangers players followed. Victory over Aberdeen keeps alive their slim chances of securing second spot in the Premiership but the manner of the performance was arguably just as important.
In the short-term, it is the Dons that Caixinha’s side must overcome but results like this are small steps in the right direction as the Portuguese sets his sights on top spot in the Premiership in the future.
That task, of course, is a substantial one. Neither Caixinha, his squad or indeed supporters will get carried away, but this was a crucial afternoon for the Rangers boss.
Caixinha has inherited a group of players that have underperformed and underachieved this term. This wasn’t one of their finest showings, but it was one of their best results.
It was a win earned through endeavour as much as skill, Danny Wilson summing up the industry that was required as he played much of the match with a broken nose.
Individual moments of magic separated the sides, but the team effort was the foundation for success.
Three goals – two from Kenny Miller and one from Joe Dodoo – in four second half minutes won it for Rangers. It wasn’t pretty, but it was effective.
Caixinha got his pre-match prediction of how Aberdeen would shape up spot on as Derek McInnes stuck with the same starting line-up that had extended their advantage in the standings in recent days.
The Portuguese again had to field David Bates and Myles Beerman at the back, while there were changes in midfield and attack as Jon Toral and Miller replaced Andy Halliday and Barrie McKay respectively.
On a day when his side had to win, it was an attacking set -up from Caixinha. The battle would have to be won before any points could be secured, though.
The old rivalry was resumed when Rangers made the trip here earlier in the campaign and it didn’t disappoint as the sides went head-to-head once again.
This was Caixinha’s biggest test since he replaced Mark Warburton and a useful step up as the countdown continues to the Old Firm double-header this month.
He warned the Pittodrie clash would be like going to hell. It was a journey he was ready for as Rangers returned to the North East.
This latest encounter always had the potential to turn into a feisty occasion and it took just four minutes for the first flash point as Joe Garner and Ryan Jack clashed in the middle of the park.
Garner took exception to a challenge from the Dons skipper and the pair squared up before the striker hit the deck.
There wasn’t enough contact for Garner to go down like he did, but Jack left himself open to punishment as he moved his head towards Garner’s.
Both received yellow cards for their part in the incident as their respective supports howled in derision.
The opening exchanges would sum up the first half. It was competitive and hardfought, but there was little quality. Tensions were high, but the standard wasn’t.
IT WAS Rangers who carved out the better chances but once again their profligacy in the final third proved costly as opportunities came and went without the Dons defence being breached.
Keeper Wes Foderingham had saved well from Jonny Hayes and watched a Kenny McLean drive go wide of his post as Aberdeen looked to take advantage of a Gers defence that was appearing together for just the second time.
But it was at the other end where the deadlock should have been broken.
Martyn Waghorn saw his shot blocked before Ash Taylor denied Garner as he looked to convert the follow-up.
A Toral effort rose over Joe Lewis’ bar without the keeper being troubled but Waghorn should have forced him into action minutes later as he connected with Garner’s cross from the right.
Tempers flared again when Taylor lunged into a rash tackle with Jason Holt, the Dons defender perhaps fortunate that Kevin Clancy only produced a yellow, before Garner challenged Lewis and the home crowd called for a second booking for the striker.
Rangers would have returned to the dressing room content with their showing but hoping that their failure to find the target wouldn’t cost them.
Twice in quick succession, they had Foderingham to thank as he saved well from McLean and Adam Rooney.
His next block was the best of the lot as he got down well to his right to deny Rooney once again as Aberdeen enjoyed their most sustained spell of pressure so far.
It was a sluggish start to the