Aberdeen were right to go for it: Sheerin

A BERDEEN COACH Paul Sheerin insists the Dons were right to go for broke at Parkhead during Sunday’s 4-0 loss to Celtic.

A victory for the Reds would have moved them level on points with the Hoops but Ronny Deila’s side ran out winners.

Sheerin, who is part of the first team coaching setup, felt it could have been a different outcome had the Dons scored when they were on top during the first half.

He said: “It is all ifs, buts and maybes, but we certainly dominated the early part of the game, which was massively encouraging.

“We were in a position where we needed to win so we threw everything at trying to get that victory.

“When teams go behind they become more open and that probably became a factor in the final result.

“There was a real sense of shock in the dressing room after the game that it ended up as convincing as it was.

“It was a frustrating day for everybody involved.”

Deila’s side can open up a nine-point gap at the top of the Premiership with a victory against St Johnstone tonight.

Sunday’s loss was A berdeen’s first defeat in 14 league matches and Sheerin believes the Dons can close the gap on Celtic if they can go on a similar run until the end of the campaign.

He said: “I am sure the manager and Tony Docherty will work as hard as ever to put things right.

“It is now a case of trying to go on another run as we did before the Celtic game.

“It was an incredible set of results.

“We need to do that again and see what happens come the end of the season.”

The A berdeen under-20 coach was full of praise for young Don Lawrence Shankland who took his goal tally in the SPFL development league to 25 with a hat-trick in Monday’s 3-0 win against Celtic.

Sheerin said: “He goes into every game knowing he is going to score, which is a great habit to get into.

“He only had three chances against Celtic and scored them all.”