United star in Saturday night special as dire Dons flop again
TANNADICE SIDE REVEL WITH GOAL RUSH FOR FIRST LEAGUE WIN OF THE SEASON
THE latest quirky kick-off time introduced to Scottish football is seen as a benefit to supporters to raise excitement levels. But, for Aberdeen, this was simply a Saturday fright night.
Dundee United have been in a dire state of health at the start of this campaign. They didn’t need to worry, though, given they were facing a Dons team who simply can’t shake off a torturous bout of travel sickness.
This crazy, calamitous defeat means Aberdeen have now won just twice away from home in the Premiership in their last 23 matches.
Forget about the nice stats surrounding their impressive form at Pittodrie, with 15 goals scored in four games in the north east. Until they sort out their dreadful record on the road, things will continue to be turbulent.
For United and their new manager Liam Fox, what a way to earn a first league victory of the season. Two goals in the final four minutes of the first half from Aziz Behich and Tony Watt stunned the visitors and their 4,000 travelling fans.
Jamie McGrath’s penalty and a bizarre Ross McCrorie own goal after the interval capped off a wonderful night for the Tannadice men. They remain adrift at the foot of the table but are now just two points behind Kilmarnock, who host Hearts today.
For Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin, sitting in the stand as he began his eight-game ban (two suspended) after accusing Hibs defender Ryan Porteous of ‘cheating’ in the recent defeat at Easter Road, what a sorry sight this was as his team folded.
United’s latest attempt to salvage some sort of positivity to ignite their season saw four changes, with Scott McMann, Craig Sibbald, Watt and Glenn Middleton restored, while veteran striker Steven Fletcher was out injured.
Following his controversial red card against Hibs, Liam Scales returned to central defence for Aberdeen, with Matty Kennedy dropping out. Lee Sharp and Craig Samson were in the technical area as Goodwin sat in the stand.
There was colour on and off the pitch as the clock struck 6pm, with both sets of supporters in buoyant mood ahead of the evening kick-off on Tayside.
Aberdeen fans had travelled south in great numbers, with some throwing red flares on to the pitch as the teams emerged. They also frequently chanted some choice words towards the SFA following Goodwin’s hefty ban.
The Red Army were almost silenced, however, inside two minutes when Middleton crossed from the left and McGrath skewed his header wide of the far post.
However, that miss wasn’t as bad as the one which left Aberdeen striker Bojan Miovski perplexed 10 minutes later. Vicente Besuijen floated a diagonal ball to Jayden Richardson at the back post. United keeper Carljohan Eriksson flapped and flopped, missing the ball, which allowed the Dons defender to square it for Miovski. The ball was slightly behind him and he couldn’t make a clean connection to score what looked like a certain goal.
The game became scrappy which suited Dundee United as they gradually settled into things — and then, in the blink of an eye, they were in dreamland.
First, the opener came on 41 minutes when McGrath all too easily cut in from the right and set up Watt, whose shot was parried by Dons keeper Kelle Roos but Behich was there to convert the rebound.
Suddenly, it was 2-0 to the hosts on the stroke of half-time. Again, it was poor from Aberdeen on the right as wing-back Kieran Freeman drove to cut the ball back perfectly for Watt to thump a fabulous firsttime finish high into the net.
Given he didn’t exactly hide his frustration at being placed on the bench during last week’s home loss to St Johnstone, when he scored a late consolation, this was an ideal way to make a point to his manager.
The Aberdeen support was left stunned as the interval arrived. It had been a toothless performance from their side but the ease with which United were allowed to pounce proved to be extremely frustrating and damaging.
Perhaps this was the confidencebooster — a rapid jolt — that United had been looking for after so much misery at the start of this season.
Aberdeen responded at the start of the second half by taking off Marley Watkins and introducing midfielder Connor Barron for his first appearance of the campaign, having suffered an injury in pre-season.
Besuijen, who had missed a headed chance after the restart, was replaced by on-loan Liverpool attacker Leighton Clarkson, while Luis Lopes was introduced in place of Jayden Coulson just before the hour. The Dons needed something to spark them into life.
Clarkson almost delivered it on 64 minutes when his lofted ball forward found Miovski but, after controlling it with his chest, he blasted his effort over the bar.
Aberdeen then somehow wasted a glorious chance to pull one back. A scramble ended with the ball breaking to Richardson and the defender simply had to hit it first time with Eriksson rushing out — but he dithered, took a touch and his shot was blocked.
And United soon wrapped things up from the penalty spot with 17 minutes remaining. McCrorie brought down Craig Sibbald in the box and McGrath converted with calmness to make it 3-0.
It became embarrassing for the Dons when they gift-wrapped a fourth to United. McCrorie thought he was heading a hopeful free-kick forward from United back to Roos but the keeper had run out of his six-yard area and the ball trundled hopelessly into the empty net.
It summed up a chaotic encounter and left Aberdeen with a nightmare journey back home. Again.