Dons safety assured as Saints pay penalty
A match-winning penalty from Bojan Miovski finally confirmed Aberdeen’s safety from relegation and intensified St Johnstone’s plight near the foot of the table.
The prolific marksman converted his 25th goal of the season after former Dons defender Andy Considine’s 63rd-minute trip on Nicky Devlin.
That made it six league games without defeat for the home side and Ross County’s late winner against Hibernian compounded a miserable day for the visitors.
As a result, Craig Levein’s struggling side ended the day two points adrift of the Dingwall men in secondbottom place in the race to avoid a relegation play-off.
The scoreline in the Highlands leaves Aberdeen just a point behind seventh-place Hibs ahead of next Sunday’s trip to Easter Road.
This result was also a perfect pick-me-up for Peter Leven,
who missed the match after Friday’s dramatic emergency hip operation.
The good news is the Aberdeen caretaker was watching the action from hospital and in touch with the coaching staff in the technical area.
Barry Robson’s permanent replacement, Jimmy Thelin, also tuned in from Sweden, looking to see if the team he joins in June could maintain their late revival.
After a dismal opening 22 minutes, the Dons suddenly burst into life when Leighton Clarkson started to drift into pockets of space causing all sorts of problems.
For Dimtar Mitov in the first instance as the Saints’ keeper spilled the former Liverpool midfielder’s speculative shot.
Luckily, former Aberdeen stalwart Andy Considine bailed the Bulgarian out before Bojan Miovski could pounce.
Junior Hoilett’s resultant corner saw last week’s match winner Stefan Gartenmann head over from six yards.
After that, Dante Polvara showed real skill to wriggle between two defenders only to send his shot straight into the arms of a grateful Mitov.
That finally seemed to stir Levein’s side into some attacking intent of their own with recalled Benji Kimpioka opening the home
defence up in 29 minutes. The Swedish striker’s shot sped beyond Kelle Roos but Gartenmann was there to head clear off the line and Ryan McGowan sent a header from Connor Smith’s corner soaring over the crossbar when he should have done better.
To be fair, that was about it as far as the Perth club were concerned as a first-half threat, with Aberdeen continuing to create, and squander, chances.
Once again, Gartenmann was the main culprit after Considine was penalised for a foul on Hoilett on the stroke of half-time.
Thankfully for the veteran defender, his yellow card was saved from further punishment when Hoilett’s kick came back off the bar.
Then Gartenmann turned the rebound straight into the arms of Mitov, who was lying prostrate on the deck.
Considine’s luck finally ran out in 65 minutes, conceding a penalty when Nicky Devlin burst into the box.
There was never any doubt Miovski would convert the spot kick after a three-minute VAR check and at it was due reward for Dons dominance.
They totally controlled the second half with Jamie McGrath denied by Mitov and Nicky Clark’s hip deflecting Angus MacDonald’s header off the line in a deserved win.