McGinn the hero as the Dons march on
AB ERDEEN 4 Rooney (30, 50), McGinn (35, 54) STRANRAER 0
PITTODRIE rose to hail Jonny Hayes as Aberdeen smashed Stranraer.
But Derek McInnes reckons Niall McGinn was the real hero after his brace eased the Dons’ path into the fifth round of the Scottish Cup.
Reds fans afforded Hayes a standing ovation as he was replaced by Peter Pawlett with 64 minutes on the clock.
However, the Cardiff City target was outshone on a comfortable afternoon for the Dons by Northern Ireland star McGinn.
He and Adam Rooney both notched twice as Straraer were completely outclassed.
And Reds gaffer McInnes reckons there is more to come from McGinn in the second half of the season.
“I thought wee Niall was outstanding,” he said.
“He’s back training with us this week and we’re seeing everything we were hoping for in terms of getting him recharged and energised for the second half of the season.
“If that’s a taste of what’s to come over the rest of the season, I’m delighted, because I thought he was excellent.
“Adam, too – he led the line well and it was great to see him get his goals, because that’s important for him.”
Aberdeen spent their winter break in Dubai, albeit without McGinn, who was afforded an extended personal holiday.
And McInnes was satisfied with the manner in which his side dismantled Stranraer.
“Not having played properly for three weeks was always a risk,” he said.
“But the professionalism of the players and their energy and enthusiasm was important.
“The good thing is that there was no panic when we didn’t score early.
“Possession was good, we worked opportunities, there was some good quality play.
“There were wee bits of rustiness as well, but I got everything I wanted from the game in terms of being enthusiastic and treating the game properly.”
It is medically documented that sudden exposure to extreme cold can send the human body into shock.
Perhaps that explains why Aberdeen, in action for the first time since returning from the Middle East, took so long to find their feet.
With the temperature at Pittodrie just a few degrees above freezing – and feeling like a few below – the Dons’ sun-tanned starting XI shivered their way through an underwhelming opening half-hour.
Chances were at a premium as stuffy Stranraer held their shape, then threatened to open the scoring when Willie Gibson was denied by Joe Lewis.
But with Niall McGinn, Jonny Hayes and Adam Rooney all on the pitch, the Dons, hot or not, were always going to carve out a chance.
When it arrived, courtesy of McGinn’s diagonal pass and Hayes’ header across the face of goal, Rooney was there to lash home the opener from six yards.
Having broken the deadlock, the Dons quickly extended their lead when McGinn latched on to a Kenny McLean lay-off, strode towards goal, and beat onrushing Stranraer ’keeper Cammy Belford at his far post. After the interval, it was one-way traffic. Rooney notched his second of the afternoon from the spot after Blues centrehalf Morgyn Neill handled Andy Considine’s cross.
Then McGinn completed his own brace four minutes later, firing a low, left-footed effort past the luckless Belford from 16 yards.
Losing 4-0 capped off a week from hell for Stranraer, who parted company with manager Brian Reid on Tuesday.
For caretaker boss Chris Aitken, holding the fort until Stephen Farrell takes charge next week, there wasn’t much to say.
“It has been a difficult week, losing a manager and having the new one announced yesterday,” he said.
“But credit goes to the players, because this isn’t an easy place to come and they stuck in.”