SHEERIN FINDS NO FAULT WITH COLTS
ABERDEEN COLTS boss Paul Sheerin hailed his classy kids despite exiting the cup to their more experienced Championship rivals.
The former Dons star insists his young charges will learn from their mistakes for the future.
He said: ‘We were confident in possession, passed it well and they did everything we asked of them.
‘We started well but they got a goal out of nothing and it is the fine lines. That’s the learning process of the whole competition for our boys.
‘You’re playing at a higher level and get punished for your mistakes.’
The 200 hardy souls who turned up were rewarded with a six-goal thriller as the Dons colts held their own against the Inverness first team at Brechin City’s Glebe Park.
The visitors took the lead after just four minutes through Riccardo Calder, and were three goals up by half-time, but faced a spirited performance from the hosts after the break.
Calder opened the scoring when Inverness defender Brad McKay punted the ball out of defence. Dons No 1 Archie Mair came for it but was beaten to it by Calder, who flicked his header past the stranded keeper.
Bruce Anderson and Lewis Hutchison then tested Mark Ridgers at the other end before Caley Thistle went two ahead with Alex Cooper, son of Aberdeen legend Neale, crossing and Liam Polworth converting.
Before the break, it was 3-0 after full-back David Raven curled the ball into the bottom corner from 20 yards.
Aberdeen were hungry after the break and did not let the apparent lost cause dampen their spirits.
And Seb Ross’s goal was a result of sheer desire. Coll Donaldson’s backpass was weak and was chased down by Ross. Ridgers got to it first but he only succeeded in lashing his clearance off the Aberdeen striker and the ball rebounded into the net.
Carl Tremarco killed off any hopes of an unlikely comeback eight minutes from time.
Cooper swung in a deep cross and Tremarco, making his first appearance since April, nodded the ball over the line.
Dons midfielder Frank Ross received a straight red late on for a lunge on Joseph Chalmers.
Charlie Trafford charged in to defend his team-mate and pushed over Ross and consequently picked up a second yellow card, but the incident was quickly extinguished.
In the final minute, Aberdeen got a second as Anderson’s low drive nestled into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
‘It is what it is,’ said Inverness boss John Robertson. ‘I think when you’re against the colts teams you’re on a hiding to nothing. If you win easily, you’re expected to, if you make it hard for yourselves, it’s difficult. I thought in the first half we controlled it.’