Northern delights for Buddies
St Mirren would have bitten your hand off for a point before a ball was kicked in anger.
But instead, they would travel back down the road believing they should have had more.
After twice finding themselves ahead on the day, Oran Kearney’s side were cursing the fact they just couldn’t hold out for victory.
However, Saints produced a display that will at the very least make the rest of the league sit up and take notice and realise they remain very much in the survival fight.
Prior to the game, St Mirren were listed as massive underdogs having failed to pick up a point since their win away to Motherwell back in December.
But they were happy to pick up the tag of weekend coupon busters thanks to a Duckens Nazon penalty and Kyle McAllister’s second-half stunner.
Lewis Ferguson had originally put Aberdeen on level terms before Sam Cosgrove’s tame effort somehow found the back of the net with just 15 minutes left to play.
It was the Dons who had the better of the early running as both Niall McGinn and Greg Stewart squandered opportunities to test Vaclav Hladky.
However, although they may have been enjoying the better of the early exchanges they were unable to take a stranglehold on the game.
And to St Mirren’s credit they more than earned their lead in 20 minutes – although what Cosgrove was thinking is anybody’s guess as he inexplicably pulled down Paul McGinn inside the box when there was no apparent danger.
Cosgrove couldn’t even muster a complaint as he accepted the referee’s decision, leaving Nazon the simple task of slamming home his spot-kick beyond the sprawling Joe Lewis.
But the Buddies looked to lay down a marker early on in the game, although Brad Lyons overstepped the mark with a scything challenge on Gary Mackay-Steven which resulted in Craig Thomson issuing him the game’s first booking.
Nazon followed him into the book right away as he blocked the resultant free-kick in a bid to slow the game down, a decision that would cost him at half-time with Kearney unprepared to run the risk of Haitian being sent off.
Hladky put his body on the line
Point taken
St Mirren FC is a club with a proud tradition — and a history to match. They have been at the centre of the Scottish game since their formation in 1877.
As the Buddies face the Dons this Saturday, we look back on a memorable clash in February 2019.
ABERDEEN ............................................. 2 ST MIRREN .............................................. 2
to block from Greg Stewart, leaving them both crumpled on the turf and requiring treatment, but both were cleared to continue.
But Hladky’s heroics only served to keep the Dons at bay slightly longer, with the hosts finally levelling things 12 minutes after Nazon’s opener.
Lyons had managed to turn behind Max Lowe’s cross for a corner, but a short play from Mackay-Steven was knocked on by Andy Considine – and there was Ferguson to nod home at the back post.
They should have been in front in 34 minutes through McGinn but the Northern Irishman was unable to keep his cool, thundering the ball over the bar with an absolute sitter which had been laid on a plate for him by Stewart.
That proved to be the least of Aberdeen’s concerns though when, just before the break, defender Tommie Hoban collapsed to the turf with not a single player around him.
The on-loan Watford man screamed in agony after twisting his studs in the Pittodrie turf.
A stretcher was finally called for after lengthy treatment for the centre back, and after being assessed by medics for close to eight minutes, Hoban was replaced by midfielder Stephen Gleeson as fans of both sides showed their respect.
Buddies striker Nazon, who was booked earlier in the game, was handed a final warning from referee Thomson on the stroke of half-time time after a couple of off the ball niggles with the Aberdeen defence.
But Kearney had seen enough not to risk a red, hooking the former Wolves man at half-time to be replaced by Canadian forward Simeon Jackson.
Full-back Mateo Muzek also made way at the break as Ethan Erhahon returned to the left back position that he had made his own earlier in the season.
Lyons went close with the Buddies’ first real chance of the half by heading just wide from a Kyle McAllister cross as the visitors looked to get in front.
But they were dealt another setback in 56 minutes as Anton Ferdinand was forced off with an injury after blocking a shot, with Greg Tansey coming on to face his former side.
Keeper Hladky had to be alert to stop Jack Baird scoring an own goal from a McGinn cross early in the second period.
And the save proved invaluable as St Mirren raced up the other end of the park to make it 2-1.
McAllister’s talent has never been in doubt, but Kearney will be hoping he can continue to create the individual moments of magic that saw him find the back of the net.
Slack passing among the Aberdeen backline saw Michael Devlin pass straight to Tansey in the middle of the park.
The midfielder broke quickly as he drove straight at the Dons defence, laying off to Lyons, who quickly fed the ball to McAllister wide on the right.
Some tight marking appeared to have knocked the winger off his stride, but he showcased a neat turn of skill before dipping the shoulder and lashing a sublime effort past Lewis and into the goalkeeper’s far corner to give Saints a deserved lead.
They had the ball in the back of the net yet again in 66 minutes but this time McAllister’s strike was ruled offside as the Buddies turned up the heat.
But Aberdeen levelled it up again in 77 minutes as Cosgrove found the back of the net, volleying home Graeme Shinnie’s cross with an effort Hladky may feel he should have done better with.
Aberdeen then had a penalty appeal turned down for a shove on Connor McLennan, but a winner for the hosts would have been an injustice as Saints clinched a welldeserved point on a day that it could well have been three.