The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Shinnie: We need to keep foot down
Graeme Shinnie has called for the dramatic victory against Hearts to be the catalyst to ignite Aberdeen’s Premiership revival.
Captain Shinnie insists the Dons proved their character when battling back from a goal down to beat Hearts 2-1.
He demands the Dons use the victory as a platform to get stronger.
Leighton Clarkson’s injury time winner ended the Dons’ six-game winless run in all competitions.
The victory eased the pressure on manager Barry Robson as the Reds were languishing second-bottom of the table before playing Hearts. Skipper Shinnie was delighted to deliver a win to take the heat off Robson because he says a “manager can only do so much”.
The win also delivered a timely boost for the Dons, in a week where they face German giants Eintracht Frankfurt in Europe before a Viaplay Cup final showdown with Rangers.
Shinnie said: “This is the first step and there is a long way to go. We have to keep the foot down and get stronger and stronger.
“We went 1-0 down and it could be a bit nervy but the boys stood up to it and turned it around. In the second half, we dug in and showed a real togetherness, backed up by the supporters. It shows the character of the team and the team spirit that is there.”
Aberdeen were booed off the pitch just days earlier following a 1-0 loss to Kilmarnock at Pittodrie on Wednesday.
That defeat had piled the heat on Robson and his squad.
Shinnie accepts the only way to ease that pressure is by delivering wins.
He said: “There is a big demand at a club like Aberdeen and if you are not winning games then the atmosphere can be different.
“You can’t deal with what has happened in the past. You need to move on.
“Winning games is the only way to start stopping the criticism. Hearts was a start.”
Pressure was mounting on manager Robson prior to the Hearts clash after a return of one point from the previous four Premiership matches.
Shinnie reckons the Dons had not secured the rewards their play deserved during that winless run. On the criticism of the manager and team, Shinnie said: “I stay away from social media and the media.
“Criticism comes with losing games. However in the last few games we haven’t taken what we should have which has been frustrating.
“It was important to win the game against Hearts. I am delighted for him (Robson).
“It is one step down now and now we need to put the foot down and kick on.”
Reaction – Pages 2-3, Score
Barry Robson insists the dramatic injury time winner to dump Hearts finally gave Aberdeen what they deserve.
The Aberdeen manager believes the Dons had not gained the rewards their play merited in many games this season.
That changed as Leighton Clarkson netted a winner four minutes into injury time to beat Hearts 2-1 at Pittodrie.
The victory eased the heat on Robson, who was under pressure following a six-game winless run prior to facing Hearts.
Clarkson’s last-gasp winner hauled the Dons out of the relegation playoff zone and up to ninth in the Premiership table.
Robson, who will lead the Dons in the Viaplay Cup final against Rangers on Sunday, was pleased to see his side finally got their rewards.
He said: “I said to my players they’ve been hard done by at times this season.
“They have not got what they deserved from a lot of games, I told them that.
“Over the last three games that’s 57 shots we’ve had – even the goal hit the post.
“You see the chances we create as a team. They will go in. So they deserved that win (v Hearts) as they’ve performed really well in some games and not got those rewards.
“We got what we deserved against Hearts.
“Three points, which is the most important thing.”
Robson is under no illusions as to the urgency for a run of winning form in the Premiership.
Aberdeen may have climbed out of the relegation play-off zone but they have still only secured 16 points from 15 league fixtures this term.
The Reds have had to balance the Europa Conference League with domestic commitments.
Aberdeen conclude their Euro campaign with a Group G fixture against Eintracht Frankfurt at Pittodrie on Thursday.
Robson says it has been a “gruelling schedule” but is confident the Dons are beginning to cope better with the demands.
He said: “I get that we’re in Europe and a cup final but we need get our points tally better in the league.
“It’s been hard for everyone. The staff have been in seven days a week, it has been a gruelling schedule.
“Hopefully we’re coping with it a bit better.”
Aberdeen fell behind midway through the first half via a header from Lawrence Shankland.
They hit back with a goal from Bojan Miovski, who netted his 12th goal in all competitions.
Then Clarkson latched on to a Duk lay-off deep into injury-time to net the winner.
Aberdeen were dealt an injury scare in the 77th minute when star striker Miovski was forced off having suffered a knock.
With the Viaplay Cup final looming any injury fears over Miovski would have been a major blow.
However Robson confirmed the goal hero will be OK for the final.
He said: “Bojan’s all right. We have been feeling a lot of things, a lot of the