Supersubs make the difference for Dons
DEREK McINNES gambled and won big as the Aberdeen manager’s bold substitutions paid dividends.
The Dons were toiling to see off a stubborn Partick Thistle side when he replaced defenders Shay Logan and Mark Reynolds with more attack-minded men.
Of course, it does help when you can call on the quality of on-loan Celtic midfielder Ryan Christie and Jayden Stockley.
McInnes switched to an adventurous back three to accommodate their arrival in 64 minutes and the pair scored the goals to take Aberdeen back into second place.
They are above Rangers on goal difference but can turn that into a points advantage by beating Motherwell at Pittodrie on Wednesday week.
McInnes deserves credit for making it happen.
“With the substitutions I felt that something had to change as we huffed and puffed a bit,” said the Dons boss.
“At half-time I asked the players to find more pace, spark and tempo.
“They did that and they dug deep and found a way to win the game. The players responded brilliantly.
“I’m delighted for both Jayden Stockley and Ryan Christie to come on and score and it shows the importance of being ready to come on and do a job and they helped win the game for us.”
McInnes was disappointed with the result rather than the performance in the single-goal defeat to the runaway league leaders at Parkhead in midweek.
That much was clear when he named the same starting line-up for the seventh game on the bounce after a successful run prior to the Celtic setback.
They were also back to their usual attacking flair after largely being restricted to a containing job against Brendan Rodgers’ high-flying side.
That saw Jonny Hayes and Niall McGinn flying down the flanks and Kenny McLean driving forward to support Adam Rooney through the middle.
It was high-intensity stuff but the Jags didn’t just stand off and admire their opponents as they defending for their lives to try and dig out a positive result.
Of course that was no surprise as only Celtic and St Johnstone had conceded fewer away goals in the Premiership at kick-off yesterday.
The problems for Alan Archibald is putting them in the net at the other end and they have now gone 406 minutes without a league goal.
That run should have been halted midway through the first half when Adam Barton picked out the run of Christie Elliott from deep.
The left-back controlled the pass brilliantly but then made a real hash of getting his shot away and the chance was gone.
Then four minutes into the second-half Christie swept over the perfect cross for Ryan Edwards, only for the midfielder to head wide from close range.
What happened next really is the story of Partick Thistle’s season as the growing realisation that Aberdeen were failing to take advantage of what was happening at Ibrox prompted a positive response.
McInnes certainly did that with Stockley heading his fifth goal of the season from a sweet Niall McGinn corner in 72 minutes.
Then the striker turned provider in stoppage time, setting up Christie for his first since moving from the Hoops on loan.
It left Partick Thistle assistant manager Scott Paterson admitting: “We played some decent stuff but lacked the cutting edge in front of goal, which has been the story of our season.
“We just have to dust ourselves down and go again now.
“The lads are a confident bunch so we’ll keep going.”