Fans bolster McInnes but Dons draw a blank again

THE message on the glossy banner at the Pittodrie Street car park read ‘In Derek We Trust’.

The McInnes cheerleaders finally had their say, showing higher design standards than the detractors and that scrawled bedsheet calling for time up.

That those supportive fans posted a more creative performance than anything exhibited by 90 minutes on the pitch, however, was another sorry truth in this miserable start to 2021 for Aberdeen.

Perhaps a little more of that trust and faith was eroded for some with the realisation that an unwanted club record of five games without a goal had been equalled once more.

To be fair to his men, the dreadful conditions ensured this was never a day where McInnes was going to be able to lavishly repay the display of support. Play was brutalised by the blustery conditions.

It was especially harsh to judge as McInnes tried to blend his new strikers into his squad.

But St Mirren were much the happier with a point to aid their top-six ambitions than Aberdeen were in their pursuit of Hibernian.

The Dons have four points to make up on Hibernian and need to find a spark in their new strikers quickly.

‘That is a concern,’ said McInnes of the lack of goals. ‘We brought in players to change that but it’s clear they are going to take a while to get up to speed.

‘We need to be patient and work with them to get up to speed. But we’re at a stage of the season where we need to get those boys firing.

‘We tried to be as attacking as we could with the line-up and to change the flow of the season, to get more wins and carry a threat.

‘But this was the wrong day to judge that, if I’m being honest. It was easier to keep the ball out of the net than to score when conditions are like that. So there’s no criticism of the players.’

Two games into his Aberdeen loan career, Fraser Hornby was supported by Florian Kamberi. Two early fresh-air swipes made for an inauspicious first impression for Kamberi’s third Premiership club.

Then an emphatic connection from 25 yards was too close to Jak Alnwick to cause the visiting goalkeeper any stress.

Hornby’s most notable connection was that of a high foot smacking the face of Conor McCarthy, who received an apology and treatment.

McCarthy’s knock had no negative impact on the excellence of Saints’ last-ditch defending.

They were helped by the fact the hosts couldn’t mount much by way of attacking moves to trouble well-organised Saints.

How Aberdeen’s new partnership will sorely miss the absence of injured Ryan Hedges.

In a rare moment of bother for the visiting back line, Niall McGinn got in behind Joe Shaughnessy but the striker tripped on the ball as he tried to collect and go clear on Alnwick.

In the first period, the home side did manage a low drive from Matty Kennedy, but it was comfortably held by Alnwick at the near post.

As for St Mirren, they could have had three and snared one as early as the ninth minute.

Chances got no better than Ryan Flynn’s when he caressed a low delivery from Ilkay Durmus at goal. Joe Lewis’s reaction to stop at his near post was impressive.

Saints lost the outstanding Jake Doyle-Hayes at the break and he left the stadium on crutches with a suspected fractured heel. They don’t need more injury woes but Cammy MacPherson at least ensured they didn’t miss a beat yesterday.

Aberdeen tried to impose themselves early in the second half. Connor McLennan almost took advantage as Shaughnessy and Alnwick got in a pickle.

Hornby sent a free-kick harmlessly wide, and Saints held firm to gradually assert as the half wore on and finish in the ascendancy.

Jon Obika volleyed just wide after replacing Lee Erwin.

‘It was a horrendous game of football,’ said Paisley manager Jim Goodwin. ‘But, it was always going to be like that in the conditions. It was a test of character.

‘I thought both sets of players managed it really well and, while it was no great spectacle, there was no lack of commitment.’