TOP DONS LOOK THE REAL DEAL
Clean-sheet kings fired by harmony and hard work, reveals Pawlett
IF this is not a genuine title challenge from Aberdeen, it’s certainly a mighty convincing impression of one. This was classic slip-up territory: opponents battling for their lives, horrible, blustery conditions, heightened expectation and the build-up dominated by a non-story surrounding Niall McGinn.
Yet still Aberdeen prevailed. Not by producing anything like their best stuff but still streets ahead of anything St Mirren could muster.
For all the world, it echoed the kind of perfunctory wins routinely trotted out by the Celtic and Rangers sides who have held a stranglehold over the championship for three decades.
It’s becoming an extremely hard habit to break. The gulf in class between the Dons and the majority of the division is such that you’d be surprised if they falter against anyone in its lower echelons from here on in. That won’t in itself win them the title but it would be a major step towards it.
Even the vast travelling support aren’t in full ‘believer’ mode just yet. Gloating about being top of the league seems to suffice for now, although if these victories continue apace for much longer, that tune will soon change. There is nothing to suggest they won’t.
In equalling a run of eight successive wins last witnessed in 1988-89 and levelling with the same number of clean sheets on the bounce last seen in 1974, the Dons brought the seemingly impossible a few inches closer.
A reinvigorated Celtic will still take some stopping. Yet it’s surely now a given that Ronny Deila’s men are going to have to produce nothing short of their best form for the rest of the campaign to keep the Dons at arm’s length come May.
McInnes’s side have the balance of an Olympic gymnast. Never in recent times has such a miserly defence been complemented with rapier speed on the counter-attack.
Ryan Jack, again excellent in Paisley, is pretty much the perfect safety net when the manager indulges David Goodwillie and Adam Rooney in a classic front pairing, as he did here.
Collectively, there’s a ruthlessness about them that would shame a sharp-suited City banker.
St Mirren had actually shaded what little football there had been in the opening half hour only to find themselves two down inside 33 minutes.
If there was a degree of good fortune about McGinn’s opener from Aberdeen’s point of view, then Saints goalkeeper Mark Ridgers was also culpable.
The Northern Irishman’s deep cross from the left was gripped by the gale blowing into Ridgers’ face but allowing it to bounce in his six-yard box was an act of folly. Its trajectory was always net-bound.
McGinn, who had survived the ‘shame’ of being a spectator at Celtic’s game at Rugby Park earlier in the week and somehow managed to pull on his working clothes on a Saturday, was not complaining as the ball flew into the top corner.
The game- defining moment arrived two minutes later in a fashion that typified Aberdeen.
Jonny Hayes, who was playing more centrally, charged down the left and released a peach of a ball across the six-yard box. Right-back Shay Logan applied a fine volleyed finish by arriving late at the far post.
Aberdeen’s domination of the match thereafter was absolute. Andrew Considine (twice), McGinn and substitute Lawrence Shankland — who struck the bar — could have increased the margin of victory, but it mattered little.
McInnes’s side certainly take the form of title contenders into next week’s home match with Dundee. But, publicly at least, no one in the camp is prepared to say what so many are now thinking.
‘I just feel we are a good team,’ said midfielder Peter Pawlett. ‘We all get on so well as a group of lads and are all working so hard for each other. We are all pitching in and that’s the sign of a good team.
‘You look at the first half when we were under the cosh a bit, but we managed to score two goals. We are all confident right now and when you are winning games, the confidence just keeps growing.’
Whether or not the ultimate ambition can be achieved, the desire to see more realistic shorter-term goals realised is there in abundance.
‘We are confident that, collectively as a team, we can defend well and we just don’t want to concede goals,’ Pawlett added.
‘We’ve had so many clean sheets that we’ve got an aim now — we want that record to keep going. It’s an incentive for us to do that and get as many clean sheets as we can.
‘We are confident in our back four but it’s not just them. Adam and Goodie up front work so hard to defend, too. It’s a collective thing and we are always confident of keeping a clean sheet.
‘But we’re not particularly aware of records being broken or equalled. When we won at Inverness, we knew that was five on the bounce. It’s nice when people talk about it but the most important thing is winning the three points. Sometimes you are not bothered about a clean sheet, but it’s always good to get one.’
There can’t be a broken mirror in the Granite City at this precise moment. Not only are the players at McInnes’s disposal sweeping all before them, other experienced hands are waiting in the wings.
Barry Robson made his first appearance since November in a late cameo role here, while Willo Flood and Russell Anderson are also nearing their returns after injury.
Fa r from showing signss of flagging, thehe Dons will soonoon be bolsteredd by a wave of refreshed,efreshed, experienced playersplayers.
‘ Russell Anderson i s such a massive part of the club as our captain,’ Pawlett added. ‘ We also have Willo and Baz, plus Cammy Smith and Lawrence Shankland, who came on today.
‘Those two are doing well and, in the Under-20s league, Lawrence has scored 17 or 18 goals. That’s the kind of quality coming off the bench and the competition for places really is healthy.’
The club and the city are good places to be right now. Almost 2,000 fans again showed their faith in what is taking place in the north-east by travelling south in atrocious weweather and were duly rewarewarded. With each passing weekweek, the once implausible thoughthought they will again witness their side being crowned the best in the land seems less ridiculous.
‘The away support for Aberdeen has always been unbelievable and especially now we are doing so well,’ Pawlett added.
‘It gives us a big lift to see the whole stand filled and then our fans round the corner as well. We all appreciate them coming and they give us terrific support.
‘Everyone is really upbeat right now in the city but we are only halfway there. In the dressing room, we keep a lid on things, work hard at training every single day and just look forward to the next game.
‘It’s good for the fans to get excited about it but I’m not sure just how excited because I don’t go out!’