Dons dominate, but just defeat Staggies
DEREK McINNES led Aberdeen into the Scottish Cup quarter-finals with a last-gasp win over Ross County.
But it remains to be seen whether the Dons boss will stick around to take them further.
Shay Logan’s strike sealed Aberdeen’s Cup progression three minutes from the end of a game they dominated.
Only inspired County ’keeper Scott Fox prevented a rout.
But in the aftermath, McInnes fuelled speculation surrounding a potential move to Rangers by sending assistant Tony Docherty to speak to the media.
Docherty claimed the plan had been solidified long before Mark Warburton’s controversial departure from Ibrox on Friday.
And the Dons assistant was keen to keep the conversation focused on football.
“We’d always said that I was going to be speaking to you guys after this tie,” said Docherty.
“We’re just delighted to be standing here talking about being in the next round of the Cup. We can’t do anything about rumours.
“All I can affect, all Derek can affect, is our performance on the pitch, and I think you saw a really strong performance from Aberdeen today.”
Aberdeen’s performance certainly looked like a McInnes production. They were disciplined, dominant and patient.
For Docherty, that was the real story of the day.
“When it gets to the later stage of the game you start to wonder whether it’s going to be one of those days,” he said.
“But credit to our boys, they kept going, and to get the winning goal the way we did from an unlikely source was pleasing.
“Finding ways to win is one of the hallmarks of this side.
“And I think the dominance of our performance merited us getting the result.”
After a spell of early-season experimentation, McInnes has clearly found what he believes to be his strongest XI.
In Dingwall, he fielded it for the eighth game in a row, and the Dons were soon purring like a well-oiled machine.
Jonny Hayes, with speculation about a move to Cardiff City behind him and a new contract stuffed in his hip pocket, was in the mood from the off.
It was his break that afforded them a chance from a free-kick 30 yards out after he was chopped down by County’s Tim Chow.
Minutes later, just after Niall McGinn saw a vicious, dipping strike tipped over the bar by Scott Fox, the wide man was at it again.
He flew down the left flank, leaving defenders in his wake, before sending a nearperfect cross into the box for the incoming Kenny McLean.
Unfortunately, the midfielder had to stretch, and his flying header flashed just wide of the post.
It was all Aberdeen – but County have got a solid sucker-punch in their arsenal.
It almost came on the stroke of half-time when Michael Gardyne capitalised on Shay Logan’s hesitation to go one-on-one with Joe Lewis.
The Dons keeper came flying out to make a crucial clearance, but he followed it up by flattening the County man.
Unsurprisingly, the home side demanded a penalty, but ref Bobby Madden wasn’t interested.
After the break the pattern continued, with Aberdeen utterly in control.
The Reds forged six gilt-edged chances within 20 minutes of the restart, with McGinn, Ryan Jack, Andy Considine, and Hayes all denied by the outstanding Scott Fox, while Graeme Shinnie sent two efforts wide.
As the clock ticked down, it looked like the Dons would have to settle for a replay.
But with just four minutes remaining, Logan popped up wide on the right and cut inside before curling a perfectly-placed effort in off the Fox’s far post.
It was a sickener for County after their match-long rearguard action – and gaffer Jim McIntyre didn’t try to hide it.
“It’s always sore when you lose a goal late on,” he said.
“You’ve got to credit Aberdeen, they had more of the forward play than we did, but we scrapped away and showed our battling qualities.
“We’ll just have to take it on the chin.”