THAT WAS FOR YOU DAVE
Barry hopes win is a tonic for Dons chief
Barry Robson hopes Aberdeen being back in the top six is a perfect pick- me- up for Dons chairman Dave Cormack.
Bojan Miovski’s 17th goal of the season was enough to sink Livingston and see the Dons jump above their visitors on goal difference.
Cormack went through open heart surgery on Friday and is now recovering in America, with son Craig posting a picture of him with a Dons scarf from his hospital bed last night.
Interim boss Robson (below) knows this result will send him on the road to recovery.
“It was brilliant to get a win for Dave,” Robson insisted. “None of this matters really, does it? It’s football and I am sure we have all had family members who have had to go through big operations. We are thankful Dave has come through it.
“I told him l a s t week there are real ly good people at this club and we will work hard to look after it when he’s away. His focus is on getting better and we need to crack on and win more games.”
Robson praised his side’s character as captain Graeme Shinnie and Ylber Ramadani went to war in midfield to win this big battle.
He joked: “Do I love a 1- 0 win? I’d prefer a 5- 0!
“You have to be ready to fight and then the talent and everything else comes. “Never get that the wrong way around.
“Ylber and Graeme just want to go to war on the pitch, don’t they? But if you want to play for Aberdeen a nd win you must do that.” Th e action was fraught at Pittodrie but that won’t matter to Robson and the Red Army.
Aberdeen had more of the play but struggled with that final ball in the early stages.
Miovski went down in the box but Jack Fitzwater hardly put in a challenge and the striker was lucky not to earn a booking for going down.
Livi were well organised and drilled but also failed to pack a punch.
They had several corners but their constant near- post routine was little threat until Sean Kelly forced Jay Gorter into a save in the 39th minute.
Aberdeen almost opened the scoring with a long ball over the top. Gorter’s punt found Ross McCrorie but Nicky Devlin got back to deny him with a saving challenge.
It looked like the half was going to fizzle out but Aberdeen had other ideas.
Ryan Duncan swung in a cross from the right. It was headed poorly out by Ayo Obileye, straight to Miovski who volleyed it past Shamal George in the 44th minute.
Robson admi t t ed hi s messa ge to the North Macedonian has been simple since he took charge.
He said: “Bojan did well. I say to him every day, how are you and he says: ‘Run fast, score goals!’ He’s a good kid.”
The No.9 has become a fans’ favourite but he could have learned a thing or two from the half-time guest of honour Frank McDougall.
The recent Hall of Fame inductee had one of the best goal-per-game strike rates in the club history and was given a standing ovation.
Livi almost levelled in 49 minutes. Devlin’s low cross found Joel Nouble who curled a shot past Gorter but Angus MacDonald blocked on the line.
MacDonald followed that up with a timely block to deny Bruce Anderson whi le Ramadani got Dons fans excited but his shot went over.
There was a bit of needle late on but the final whistle was met with a roar as Ramadani flew into a meaty challenge.