Dons dominate but fail to take advantage of rivals’ slip-ups

ABERDEEN manager Derek McInnes admitted that his side missed the opportunity to take advantage of Celtic and Hibernian both losing in the race for Europe.

The Dons moved three points clear of Hibernian and have two games in hand on the capital club. However, they are four behind Celtic, having played a game more.

McInnes’ side dominated against Dundee United at Pittodrie but struggled to break down the visitors’ backline.

McInnes said: ‘Our fight is with ourselves. I want us to control what we can control and today feels like a missed opportunity.

‘It is a point gained on other teams but it is a game where we feel we should be picking up all three points. We still feel it was a missed opportunity than anything gained today.

‘We needed to show experience, show poise, stay calm and do the right things but we were guilty of poor decisions.’

Although United had the first real chance of the match, it was an industrial and defensive performance from them.

It was a ferocious shot from Lawrence Shankland which rattled Joe Lewis’ crossbar after nine minutes, but it hardly set the tone for the opening period.

Tommie Hoban headed wide from a Niall McGinn corner with Aberdeen’s first glimpse of goal, but they were adamant that they should have had a penalty after 12 minutes.

Ryan Hedges and Curtis Main worked a great opening on the edge of the box with a slick one-two, and the former’s footwork was too quick for Mark Connolly. The defender appeared to barge into the back of the winger, sending him flying to the deck but referee Kevin Clancy was not interested.

Another claim came later in the first half when Andrew Considine’s shot bounced off Connolly in the box was also dismissed by Clancy.

Aberdeen were in control of possession but Micky Mellon’s side had parked the bus. At one point, Matty Kennedy was faced by 10 opposition defenders inside the United box, with only Shankland outwith his own side’s 18-yard area.

Main and Hedges tested Benjamin Siegrist with a couple of tame efforts but United did not look like buckling.

Considine may have done better when he rose highest to meet a Hedges corner, but his header flew agonisingly over the bar. Shankland blasted over a half chance at the other end.

Seven minutes after the restart, Jamie Robson whipped in a cross from the left flank and it was misjudged by Ash Taylor who flicked it i nto the path of Shankland.

However, with the goal opening up, Considine made a terrific block to divert his former Pittodrie team-mate’s effort off target. Robson then had a chance himself when the ball came to him at the edge of the area but he fired wide.

Scott Wright came off the bench but couldn’t really make a difference in his first appearance since November 6. Hayes clipped a cross into Hoban at the back post for their best chance of a winner but the defender sent his header wide of target.

United almost pinched it when Nicky Clark’s free-kick was missed by Main at the front post and the ball came to Connolly five yards from goal, but his instinctive effort was straight at Lewis. A late Shankland strike was also straight at the keeper.

Mellon hailed young defender Lewis Neilson, who was introduced to the starting line-up less than 30 minutes before kick-off i n place of Ryan Edwards, who pulled up injured in the warm-up.

‘That’s what we’re all about,’ said Mellon. ‘Part of our big recruitment here is the academy. We have to stay strong and true to that.

‘When we get opportunities to stick them in, we don’t hesitate. We try to prepare them mentally and physically so they can come in and do what Lewis did today. He was fantastic.

‘And so was Louis Appere. He’s only a young lad as well. He led the line with Shankland.

‘That’s the type of things that we have to have happening for this club to keep moving forward to the Dundee United we all want to see.’

ABERDEEN (3-4-3): Lewis; Hoban, Taylor, Considine; Hedges, McCrorie (Campbell 82), Ferguson, Hayes; Kennedy (Cosgrove 75), Main (Edmondson 82), McGinn (Wright 63).

Subs (not used): Woods, Logan, Ojo, Ngwenya, Duncan. Booked: Hayes.

DUNDEE UTD (5-3-2): Siegrist; L Smith, Connolly, Edwards, Reynolds, Robson; Harkes, Pawlett (Powers 51), Clark; Appere, Shankland.

Subs (not used): Deniz, Sporle, McMullan, Bolton, Fortheringham, Davidson, Hutchinson, K Smith. Booked: Clark, Appere.

Referee: Kevin Clancy.