Leven laps up ‘character’ shown as Dons rack up back-to-back victories
ABERDEEN caretaker manager Peter Leven hailed his side’s “character” but admitted their performance left plenty of room for improvement, despite a vital 2-1 cinch Premiership victory over relegation rivals Ross County.
The victory, secured thanks to goals from Bojan Miovski and Jamie McGrath either side of Simon Murray’s header for County, moved the Dons six points clear of their opponents, who remain second bottom.
Leven said: “I’m delighted with the three points and the result, but the performance could have been better. I thought we started well and then County came into it a bit. I always knew we had the players who could get us the next goal.
“At half time I told them to relax on the ball. They looked nervous at times and they were trying the hard pass when the simple pass was on. They were better in the second half and I thought the subs really impacted the game.
“When Duk is like that, he’s a handful for anybody with his power and pace. He did really well for the second goal.
“The character the boys showed was brilliant. They were fighting for everything and the boys were focused.”
The home side were quick out of the traps, with Miovski testing George Wickens just two minutes in, only for a debatable offside flag to render the goalkeeper’s save moot.
But the visitors did not heed the warning and were behind after five minutes. This time it was Junior Hoilett who slid the pass down the side of the County defence and, although Miovski seemed to have been forced wide, his prodded effort trundled through a ruck of players and across the line, despite the despairing late lunge of Loick Ayina.
Perhaps the goal gave Don
Cowie’s men a wake-up call as they began to edge back into the game.
Josh Reid was denied a leveller when Murray played him in, only for the wing-back to be foiled by Kelle Roos’ low save.
But Murray brought his side level, first winning a corner off Stefan Gartenmann before heading home unchallenged at the back post from Yan Dhanda’s whipped delivery.
Aberdeen’s bright start was now a distant memory and, while Michee Efete was called offside when he blasted over from close range, it was another warning for the home side.
There were signs of life for the Dons early in the second half, but the Staggies could have been in front in the 65th minute as Dhanda’s powerful drive forced Roos to push over. The introduction of Duk brought some fresh impetus to the hosts’ attack and he charged on to a long ball that drew Wickens out of his area. The latter took out the former and the keeper was perhaps lucky to escape with a yellow card after a VAR check.
Leighton Clarkson whipped the resulting free-kick inches wide of an upright.
Duk was involved again when his side took the lead after 78 minutes. His quick spin in the area took out his man and he laid the ball on a plate for McGrath to turn home from six yards.
It could have been three for Aberdeen when Dante Polvara’s vicious half-volley cannoned back off the bar late on and, although they survived a late VAR check for Gartnemann’s challenge on Murray, it was ultimately job done for the Pittodrie men.
“I thought it was a really good performance and the team responded really well to a poor start,” County interim manager Cowie said. “The team were perhaps a little bit spooked for 10 minutes, but the response was excellent and we deserved to go in level.
“I felt that we could step on and win it after that, but if you can’t win it you have to make sure you don’t lose it and we have to learn from that.”