The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Questions asked but Dons
Pittodrie squad rocked by injuries but McInnes’s men still come up trumps as a
They were down to the bare bones but Aberdeen’s threadbare squad answered a lot of questions about them with a clinical and comprehensive victory at Partick Thistle on Saturday.
With last season’s leading scorer Niall McGinn missing due to injury along with summer signings Willo Flood and BarryRobson, not to mention influential captain Russell Anderson
“Zola beat Fox with a glancing header”
also out, many were left wondering how the Dons would cope.
Who would get the goals in the absence of McGinn?
Would Andrew Considine make his first appearance since he suffered a terrible leg break in December? How would manager Derek McInnes plug the gap in the absence of Flood and Robson?
All these questions were answered emphatically as the Dons dominated from start to finish.
McInnes answered the Considine question by putting the defender straight into the starting 11, with Mark Reynolds moving to left back. Jonny Hayes returned to the side, while Cammy Smith also started the game in a midfield role alongside Ryan Jack.
The absence of McGinn posed the biggest question given no other Dons forward had scored this season, but Calvin Zola got off the mark with his first goal for the club in the 12th minute.
A surging Hayes run and shot, which forced Jags goalkeeper Scott Fox to turn his effort round the post, led to the chance with Gregg Wylde’s corner reaching Michael Hector. The defender flicked the ball goalwards and Zola beat Fox with a glancing header from inside the six yard box.
The former Burton Albion attacker’s joy was clear and he celebrated his first goal for the club by turning creator for the second seven minutes later. The Partick defence was caught dozing at the back and Zola cut the ball back from the by-line to the on rushing Peter Pawlett, who side footed the ball home from 10 yards.
Few would have predicted the Dons racing into a two-goal lead in the opening 20 minutes, but they were well worth their advantage. A galloping run forward from Hector just before half-time almost brought a third with Fox tipping Zola’s header away. Had the Dons gone in 3-0 up at the home side could have had few complaints.
The pattern continued in the second half with Wylde crossing for Hayes, whose volley flashed just wide of the post with Fox beaten before Wylde again created a chance, crossing for Smith who had his point blank header blocked on the line by the Partick goalkeeper.