SWEAT’S ON FOR GLASS
McCrorie steps up for new Reds gaffer
Relieved Stephen Glass was put through the wringer before his Aberdeen team got it spot- on to book their place in the last eight.
The Dons had to peg back Livingston twice then take them 5-3 on penalties to book a home quarter- f inal with Dundee United next weekend.
Aberdeen netted all five of their spot- kicks, thanks to Lewis Ferguson, Flo Kamberi, Callum Hendry, Dean Campbell before Ross McCrorie’s fifth sealed this nailbiting win.
Alan Lithgow, Jay Emmanuel Thomas and Aaron TaylorSinclair netted from the spot for Livi but Jason Holt was the sinner as his effort cannoned back off the woodwork.
Emmanuel Thomas had twice given Livi the lead but they were pegged back by Niall McGinn then Kamberi with his first goal for the Dons.
Glass has only come out of quarantine earlier this week and his bow was a rollercoaster.
They will need to be better against Celtic on Wednesday but it is a start and Aberdeen are still in with a chance of glory via the cup and won’t give up on third place either.
Glass made two changes in his first team selection. Jack MacKenzie was cup-tied while Connor McLennan came in with Fraser Hornby preferred to Kamberi.
Livi got hit by six last time out against Celtic but boss Davie Martindale made just one change, Robby McCrorie made way for Max Stryjek.
The away side created the first opening. Emmanuel-Thomas squared for Nicky Devlin but he blazed his shot over.
The Dons’ first opportunity came when McGinn robbed Holt in the middle of the park. He found Jonny Hayes who picked out McLennan with a low cross but he badly miscued his shot.
Matty Kennedy’s low cross then picked out Hornby but Stryjek got down low to block his low shot.
Aberdeen captain Joe Lewis
took a sore one in a challenge with Jon Guthrie. He played on before he had to go off, replaced by Gary Woods.
And the replacement keeper had to pick the ball out the net within a minute of coming on for his debut.
Thomas took the ball away from Hayes, burst in off the right and played a one-two with Scott Pittman before he skipped past Tommie Hoban and reversed a shot low past Woods.
After the restart Campbell curled in a free-kick. Ferguson headed towards goal but Stryjek got down well to hold.
Glass made his first change
bringing on Kamber i for Hornby. Former Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes was on summary duty for Premier Sports and Glass up to that point had been witnessing the lack of f irepower that had undermined the previous manager’s final few months.
Forrest got away from Hayes inside the box but Woods saved. The Dons keeper then had to fist away a Holt free-kick.
Hendry was sent on for the ineffective McLennan before a brilliant run from Devlin saw him burst clear of Kamberi and Andrew Considine. The Livi full-back pulled the ball back
for Forrest but his shot was blocked. Aberdeen then went up the park and pulled themselves out of a big hole.
Hayes burst up the left and pulled a low cross back for McGinn who took a touch before smashing it high past Stryjek in the 77th minute.
The Dons looked stronger in extra-time but within two minutes they had conceded a pena l t y for Campbel l ’ s challenge on Thomas. The big striker stepped up to stick the spot-kick into the top left-hand corner.
Kamber i turned a defender and was blocked by Stryjek but the Swiss sub wasn’t to be den ied and he stabbed a low
McGinn cross in for the leveller in the 95th minute.
Hoban was on a booking and lucky not to walk for a late challenge on Pittman.
Thomas then robbed Ross McCrorie and surged forward but pulled his shot wide.
Livi were running on empty in the second extra period and it was Aberdeen who looked more likely.
Hendry dragged a shot wide but Aberdeen didn’t really create too many clear-cut openings.
Stryjek was booked for running the clock down in the final few minutes, whi le Hayes followed for a late trip.
But the sides could not be separated in the extra period so it went to the lot