Hendry saves Dons’ blushes as late strike sees off Sons
PAUL SHEERIN’S roar of relief told the story of Aberdeen’s latest desperate performance in front of goal. The only plot twist here was that they actually scored.
It took 84 minutes for the Dons to find the net against a part-time Dumbarton team who are secondbottom in League One and have played four games in a week.
Substitute Callum Hendry saved the Premiership side from embarrassment in this Scottish Cup third-round tie, scoring only his team’s second goal in 11 matches.
It was the on-loan St Johnstone striker who last netted for the Reds, in a 1-0 win at home to Kilmarnock on February 20.
Stephen Glass has just arrived in Scotland and continues to quarantine before he takes his place in the dugout. The new boss, along with in-coming attacking coach Allan Russell, will need no reminding of where Aberdeen have to improve.
‘We spoke about staying patient before the game but obviously with the position we’re in, the lack of goals in recent weeks and the longer that goes on, the more desperate you become,’ said interim boss Sheerin.
‘But we stressed before the game that we do need to stay more patient. I thought second half we became more desperate than we needed to be, throwing things in and allowing Dumbarton to defend their box, which they did brilliantly.
‘They made it difficult for us but when you look at the number of chances we had, it was inevitable it was going to come at some stage.’
That analysis remains debatable, but Hendry similarly felt his goal was always going to arrive.
‘I have been through dry patches in the past when I haven’t scored, but I haven’t lacked confidence,’ he said. ‘The boys are confident.
‘Listening to the gaffer after the game, we were bound to score as we were playing well. We deserved to get it and should have had more.’
It was unsurprising to see Aberdeen enjoy most of the ball early on, with Ethan Ross’s shot tipped wide on eight minutes by Sons goalkeeper Sam Ramsbottom.
Ross McCrorie then set up Niall McGinn in the box but his effort flashed wide six minutes later. Just over ten minutes before the break, the Dons saw two glorious chances wasted.
Dumbarton boss Jim Duffy was screaming at his players to mark Lewis Ferguson at a corner. They did not heed his warnings, with the midfielder allowed a free header which Ramsbottom pushed wide. Andy Considine then somehow saw an effort at the back post deflect off Nat Wedderburn, squirm across the face of goal and wide of the far post.
The best chance of the half for the hosts came seven minutes before the break. The ball dropped to centrehalf Ryan McGeever, who had little time to react. His shot was tame and held by Dons keeper Joe Lewis.
Duffy introduced Rabin Omar at the interval and he almost gave he Sons a shock lead within 45 seconds of the restart. The on-loan Morton man found room for a shot from inside the box but Lewis made a great save to push the ball wide.
Sheerin had seen enough by now and replaced Florian Kamberi with Hendry ten minutes into the second half.
The Dons came within inches of the breakthrough on 58 minutes. McGinn swung in a cross from the right and McCrorie’s volley curled just over the bar. The Premiership side were huffing and puffing. Truthfully, it has been the theme of most of their season.
With just under ten minutes remaining, Jonny Hayes saw a shot blocked in the box before McGinn’s follow-up was saved by Ramsbottom.
Finally, Aberdeen’s goal arrived with six minutes to play. Hendry cut in from the right and drilled a low shot into the bottom corner.
Duffy could not hide his frustration at the schedule his team and rivals face in the lower leagues. ‘It’s not fair,’ he said. ‘It wouldn’t be fair on any club to play four games in seven days. Would you ask that of top clubs? I absolutely doubt it.
‘You wouldn’t have known it was our fourth game in seven days with what the players gave.
‘I think sometimes we are a bit disrespectful to part-time players because they have to go to work, keep themselves fit, and play a succession of games. I have nothing but praise for my team.’
DUMBARTON (4-5-1): Ramsbottom; Wardrop, McGeever, Neill, McAllister; Frizzell (Quitongo 88), Carswell, Wedderburn, Brindley (Omar 46), Wilson; Jones (Crossan 88). Subs (not used): Smith, Langan, Wallace, Duthie. Booked: Wedderburn.
ABERDEEN (3-4-3): Lewis; Ramsay (Kennedy 63), Hoban, Considine; McCrorie, Campbell, Ferguson, Hayes; Ross (McLennan 79), Kamberi (Hendry 55), McGinn. Subs (not used): Woods, Taylor, McGeouch, Virtanen, Ruth, Duncan. Booked: Hoban.
Referee: Don Robertson.