Aberdeen 2 - 1 St Johnstone

Aberdeen   2 - 1   St Johnstone

Aberdeen captain Mark Kerr tries to hold off Murray Davidson

Aberdeen recorded a their first victory since September thanks to a late penalty from Lee Miller.

St Johnstone lost Graham Gartland to a shoulder injury before Sone Aluko gave the Dons the lead on 15 minutes.

Liam Craig had a shot cleared off the line before levelling for the visitors from close range with 14 minutes left.

But Aberdeen regained their lead in the 83rd minute, courtesy of Miller's penalty after the striker had been fouled in the box by Danny Grainger.

The home side turned in just about their most impressive performance of the season in the first 45 minutes but ran out of steam after the break, allowing the Saints right back into a keenly contested affair.

Aluko could have scored inside two minutes when he latched on a searching pass from Charlie Mulgrew only to shoot into the side-netting from an acute angle.

The visitors responded three minutes later with a fine passing move that ended with Finnish striker Jonatan Johansson firing inches wide.

The Saints were forced to make a change after nine minutes with Steven Anderson coming on for central defender Gartland, who hurt himself after landing awkwardly.

Aberdeen took the lead with a fine counter-attacking move expertly finished by Aluko. Peter Pawlett showed excellent pace and strength to shrug off Grainger before finding the Nigerian, who dribbled past two defenders before slotting the ball past Graeme Smith.

Pawlett then showed an abundance of speed to out-sprint the visiting defence before unleashing a left-foot shot that was clawed away by Smith.

Smith was called into action soon after to thwart Pawlett with the St Johnstone goalkeeper doing well to hold a powerful effort.

Opposite number Jamie Langfield pulled off a superb near-post save to deny Samuel on 42 minutes to ensure the Dons went into the interval a goal in front.

Aberdeen substitute Darren Mackie, on for the injured Aluko, almost made an immediate impact when he earned a yard of space in the box with a terrific piece of skill before smashing a shot from a tight angle off the post.

Jerel Ifil almost doubled Aberdeen's side lead with a neat shot on the turn that was excellently tipped over the bar by Smith.

The former Swindon defender was then the hero at the other end when he cleared a Kenny Deuchar header that had beaten Langfield off the line.

Ifil came to the rescue for Aberdeen again on 73 minutes when a Langfield punch fell kindly into the path of former Don Kevin Rutkiewicz, who lobbed the ball over the stranded keeper, but the defender again headed the ball to safety.

St Johnstone's mounting pressure paid off when they got back on level terms. Langfield dropped a hanging cross from David Mackay under pressure from Deuchar and Craig pounced on the loose ball to roll the ball into the unguarded net.

The Dons were presented with opportunity to regain the lead when Miller was bundled over in the box by Grainger and the striker kept his composure to drill the spot-kick home himself.

Paton could have put the icing on the cake for the home side with a ferocious 30-yard shot that rebounded back off the crossbar in the dying stages.

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Aberdeen manager Mark McGhee:
"After having such a good first half, we ran out of energy and a lot of the pace that had caused St Johnstone problems went from our team.

"They put us under pressure with a lot of long balls and we thought their goal was illegal - there was a foul on the keeper.

"They didn't play through us at any stage and I thought we defended well.

"They asked questions of us with the long ball and we answered them."

St Johnstone manager Derek McInnes:
"I'm fed up getting let down by poor decisions. It was never a penalty.

"There's a foul from Lee Miller on Danny Grainger in the build up and the award was given for a coming together - it was no more than that.

"We were the better team for the whole of the second half, no question about that.

"We've had three penalties given against us this season and not one of them has been a penalty.

"I can understand Aberdeen's frustration with our goal but, for me, there wasn't a lot in it."

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Saturday, 7 November 2009

Scottish Premier

Home Team	Score	Away Team	Time
Aberdeen	2-1	St Johnstone	R
(HT 1-0)
Aluko 15 Miller (pen) 83		Craig 76

Aberdeen

• 01 Langfield yellow card
• 02 Mulgrew
• 03 Foster yellow card
• 06 Considine yellow card
• 22 Ifil
• 04 McDonald
• 08 Kerr
• 11 Aluko (Mackie 46)
• 19 Pawlett yellow card (Wright 71)
• 09 Miller
• 24 Paton

Substitutes

• 40 Bain,
• 18 Grassi,
• 25 Crawford,
• 14 Young,
• 16 Duff,
• 10 Mackie,
• 15 Wright

St Johnstone

• 25 Smith
• 03 Grainger yellow card
• 05 Rutkiewicz
• 12 MacKay
• 18 Gartland (Anderson 8)
• 04 Morris
• 07 Millar
• 10 Craig
• 20 Davidson
• 21 Samuel (Morais 83)
• 30 Johansson (Deuchar 46)

Substitutes

• 01 Main,
• 24 Anderson,
• 08 Hardie,
• 22 Morais,
• 37 Durnan,
• 17 Deuchar,
• 32 Reynolds

Ref: NorrisAtt: 10,894

ABERDEEN

ST JOHNSTONE

Possession

• Aberdeen 52%
• St Johnstone 48%

Shots on target

• Aberdeen 4
• St Johnstone 9

Shots off target

• Aberdeen 5
• St Johnstone 8

Corners

• Aberdeen 7
• St Johnstone 5

Fouls

• Aberdeen 14
• St Johnstone 11

• Final Result
• Full Time
• 90:00+2:44 The referee blows his whistle to end the game.
• 90:00+2:09 Effort from inside the area by Filipe Morais misses to the right of the goal.
• 90:00+1:04 Corner taken by Filipe Morais.
• 90:00+0:07 Booking The referee shows Charlie Mulgrew a yellow card.
• 89:38 Lee Miller gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Steven Anderson. Daniel Grainger takes the free kick.
• 88:01 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Liam Craig.
• 86:47 Andrew Considine concedes a free kick for a foul on Filipe Morais. Filipe Morais shoots direct from the free kick, clearance made by Jerel Ifil.
• 85:30 Murray Davidson gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Gary McDonald. Jamie Langfield takes the direct free kick.
• 84:15 Michael Paton takes a shot.
• 83:00 Substitution Collin Samuel goes off and Filipe Morais comes on.
• 82:26 GOAL - Lee Miller:Aberdeen 2 - 1 St Johnstone Penalty taken right-footed by Lee Miller and scored. Aberdeen 2-1 St Johnstone.
• 81:51 Unfair challenge on Lee Miller by Daniel Grainger results in a Penalty.
• 79:39 Foul by Steven Anderson on Lee Miller, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Mark Kerr.
• 79:08 Steven Anderson takes a shot. Save made by Jamie Langfield.
• 78:36 Foul by Andrew Considine on Kenny Deuchar, free kick awarded. Liam Craig takes the direct free kick.
• 75:48 GOAL - Liam Craig:Aberdeen 1 - 1 St Johnstone Liam Craig gets on the score sheet with a goal from close in to the bottom right corner of the goal. Aberdeen 1-1 St Johnstone.
• 75:23 David MacKay sends in a cross,
• 72:44 Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Liam Craig, save made by Jamie Langfield.
• Correction - 72:17 Shot by Kevin Rutkiewicz from 6 yards. Clearance made by Jerel Ifil.
• 72:17 Kevin Rutkiewicz takes a shot. Jerel Ifil manages to make a clearance.
• 72:08 The ball is sent over by Daniel Grainger, save made by Jamie Langfield.
• 71:36 Kenny Deuchar fouled by Andrew Considine, the ref awards a free kick. David MacKay takes the direct free kick.
• 70:52 Substitution (Aberdeen) makes a substitution, with Tommy Wright coming on for Peter Pawlett.
• 69:00 Collin Samuel takes a shot. Save made by Jamie Langfield.
• 67:33 Corner taken left-footed by Charlie Mulgrew.
• 65:27 Charlie Mulgrew takes a shot from long distance which goes wide of the right-hand upright.
• 65:03 Chris Millar challenges Peter Pawlett unfairly and gives away a free kick. Lee Miller restarts play with the free kick.
• Correction - 62:14 The ball is sent over by Darren Mackie.
• 62:14 Liam Craig produces a cross.
• 60:19 Booking Peter Pawlett is shown a yellow card.
• 60:09 Murray Davidson fouled by Peter Pawlett, the ref awards a free kick. Liam Craig restarts play with the free kick.
• 59:30 Steven Anderson concedes a free kick for a foul on Lee Miller. Charlie Mulgrew restarts play with the free kick.
• 57:28 The ball is crossed by Liam Craig, Kenny Deuchar takes a shot. Clearance by Jerel Ifil.
• 55:29 Collin Samuel produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that goes wide right of the target.
• 53:59 Michael Paton challenges Liam Craig unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick crossed by Liam Craig, Andrew Considine manages to make a clearance.
• 53:25 Corner from the left by-line taken by Charlie Mulgrew, save made by Graeme Smith.
• 52:44 Darren Mackie sends in a cross, Jerel Ifil takes a shot. Graeme Smith makes a save.
• 52:07 Corner taken by Peter Pawlett, clearance by Kevin Rutkiewicz.
• 50:34 Unfair challenge on Kenny Deuchar by Andrew Considine results in a free kick. Free kick crossed left-footed by Liam Craig, Kenny Deuchar gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Andrew Considine. Jamie Langfield restarts play with the free kick.
• 50:05 Liam Craig produces a right-footed shot from inside the area that clears the bar.
• 48:07 Close range shot by Liam Craig strikes the post.
• Correction - 45:01 The official flags Collin Samuel offside. Free kick taken by Jamie Langfield.
• Correction - 45:01 Substitution Jonatan Johansson goes off and Kenny Deuchar comes on.
• Correction - 45:01 Substitution Darren Mackie joins the action as a substitute, replacing Sone Aluko.
• 45:01 The referee starts the second half.
• 45:01 The official flags Collin Samuel offside. Jamie Langfield restarts play with the free kick.
• 45:01 Substitution (St Johnstone) makes a substitution, with Kenny Deuchar coming on for Jonatan Johansson.
• 45:01 Substitution Darren Mackie joins the action as a substitute, replacing Sone Aluko.
• Half Time
• 45:00+2:00 It is the end of the first-half.
• 45:00+0:49 Daniel Grainger gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Lee Miller. Free kick crossed left-footed by Charlie Mulgrew, save by Graeme Smith.
• 45:00+0:25 The ball is sent over by David MacKay, Murray Davidson takes a shot. Save by Jamie Langfield.
• 41:52 Jody Morris has an effort at goal from outside the penalty area which goes wide right of the goal.
• 40:55 Corner taken left-footed by Liam Craig from the left by-line, Jamie Langfield makes a save.
• 40:31 Collin Samuel takes a shot. Save by Jamie Langfield.
• 38:32 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Daniel Grainger by Lee Miller. Jody Morris restarts play with the free kick.
• 32:36 Peter Pawlett takes a shot. Save made by Graeme Smith.
• 31:10 Booking Andrew Considine goes into the referee's book.
• Correction - 30:53 Andrew Considine challenges Collin Samuel unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Liam Craig.
• 30:53 Andrew Considine challenges Collin Samuel unfairly and gives away a free kick. Murray Davidson restarts play with the free kick.
• 30:12 Foul by Jody Morris on Jerel Ifil, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Charlie Mulgrew.
• 28:29 Short corner worked by Peter Pawlett.
• 27:25 Shot from inside the area by Sone Aluko clears the bar.
• 27:06 Peter Pawlett takes a shot. Save by Graeme Smith.
• 24:45 Lee Miller concedes a free kick for a foul on David MacKay. The ball is sent over by Murray Davidson, David MacKay produces a right-footed shot from deep inside the penalty area which goes wide of the left-hand post.
• 23:37 Lee Miller is ruled offside. Daniel Grainger takes the indirect free kick.
• Correction - 22:58 Inswinging corner taken by Charlie Mulgrew from the right by-line, save made by Graeme Smith.
• 22:58 Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Charlie Mulgrew, save made by Graeme Smith.
• 22:24 Free kick awarded for a foul by Collin Samuel on Andrew Considine. Free kick taken by Andrew Considine.
• 21:27 Corner taken left-footed by Murray Davidson from the right by-line, Kevin Rutkiewicz challenges Jerel Ifil unfairly and gives away a free kick. Jamie Langfield restarts play with the free kick.
• 20:29 Unfair challenge on Lee Miller by Steven Anderson results in a free kick. The free kick is swung in left-footed by Charlie Mulgrew, save made by Graeme Smith.
• 18:46 Lee Miller gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Kevin Rutkiewicz. Daniel Grainger takes the direct free kick.
• 17:57 Sone Aluko is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Free kick taken by Graeme Smith.
• 14:28 GOAL - Sone Aluko:Aberdeen 1 - 0 St Johnstone Sone Aluko finds the back of the net with a goal from deep inside the penalty box to the bottom right corner of the goal. Aberdeen 1-0 St Johnstone.
• 13:06 Jerel Ifil concedes a free kick for a foul on Collin Samuel. Jonatan Johansson fires a strike on goal direct from the free kick, save by Jamie Langfield.
• 12:29 Jonatan Johansson has shot on goal from just outside the area which goes wide of the right-hand upright.
• 11:05 Lee Miller concedes a free kick for a foul on Kevin Rutkiewicz. Direct free kick taken by Graeme Smith.
• 10:46 The assistant referee flags for offside against Collin Samuel. Indirect free kick taken by Jerel Ifil.
• 9:42 Substitution Graham Gartland leaves the field to be replaced by Steven Anderson.
• 9:15 The ball is swung over by Charlie Mulgrew, Lee Miller produces a right-footed shot from inside the six-yard box that clears the bar.
• 8:20 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Charlie Mulgrew, clearance by Liam Craig.
• Correction - 7:42 Substitution Graham Gartland leaves the field to be replaced by Steven Anderson.
• 4:48 Foul by Lee Miller on Kevin Rutkiewicz, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Daniel Grainger.
• 4:17 Collin Samuel produces a left-footed shot from the edge of the box and misses to the left of the goal.
• 1:50 Sone Aluko has an effort at goal from close range which goes wide right of the target.
• 0:51 Charlie Mulgrew takes the inswinging corner, save by Graeme Smith.
• 0:00 The referee gets the game started.

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