GIVEN what took place at Pittodrie between these two sides little under a month ago, you could have forgiven Motherwell for wanting to park the bus in front of Craig Samson’s goal rather than charter one for this return visit.
In what turned out to be an ominous night for Motherwell and then manager Mark McGhee, the visitors were embarrassed 7-2 by a rampant Aberdeen, a result which was a major factor in McGhee being dismissed just two defeats later. Defensive harakiri was to blame that night as much as Aberdeen’s attacking prowess, therefore leading those travelling up the A90 yesterday to hope that, if nothing else, the defence would at least make their hosts work for the three points.
Such was the brutality of that game and the previous abandonment back in December, those hopeful souls were transported up the road for free on a bus put on by the club to watch their team attempt to restore some pride. While the pain of that 7-2 demolition was hard to take, the manner in which this game was lost – coming from a single Niall McGinn goal in the 92nd minute – will have possibly been even harder to contemplate on the long journey home.
“They are on their knees in the changing room but they have to deal with it,” said Stephen Robinson, the Motherwell caretaker, whose side remain just three points above Hamilton Accies in the Premiership play-off place. “I think it’s a tough one to take. We matched them for 92 minutes and make no mistake they are a good side. You could see how frustrated they were.
“I’ll have a chat with the board on Monday [about his position] and we will go from there. I’ll concentrate on the football side of things which is what I’m good at, but I know there will be no questions asked of the players in terms of their desire and attitude from the people who travelled up here today.”
As Robinson eluded to, he is part of a Motherwell short-list which also contains former players Simo Valakari and Owen Coyle to become McGhee’s permanent successor, and the Northern Irishman wouldn’t have done his case any harm given the contrast from this display to the last visit to the Granite City.
Under the charge of the former Oldham Athletic manager, the Fir Park side put in a stuffy performance which stifled Aberdeen from hitting their free-flowing best for much of the afternoon. Derek McInnes’ team had by far the better chances, particularly in the second half as Motherwell slowly regressed deeper, but thanks to the hands of Craig Samson and dogged defending, a vital point in their battle to stay in the Ladbrokes Premiership appeared within grasp.
Instead McGinn – who bizarrely didn’t even get one in that rout last month – popped up deep into injury time 10 yards out to sweep a Jonny Hayes cross into the bottom left corner to start the celebrations.
It was just reward for their perseverance to keep plugging away when it just looked like being one of those afternoons. Instead, it turned into Aberdeen’s eighth home win in a row, a record going back to the Sir Alex Ferguson era of 1985/86 season.
If it wasn’t for Samson in the Motherwell goal, their canter nine points ahead of Rangers, albeit with a game more played, could have been much easier. In the first half, the veteran goalkeeper acrobatically tipped a Adam Rooney snapshot over the bar, gathered a Kenny McLean effort from the edge of the area before then denying McGinn with a great low diving parry after a turn and shot from 18 yards.
After the break he would halt the Northern Irishman twice more before the resistance was eventually broken at the death, while a stunning cross to the back post from McLean was somehow volleyed skyward by Graeme Shinnie with the goal gaping.
For Motherwell, their closest thing to a goal came when Ben Heneghan headed into the side netting from a free-kick, but it was the only half chance that looked like bothering Aberdeen reaching Fergie time.
“Absolute credit to them to be even mentioned in the same breath as that team,” said Tony Docherty, the Aberdeen assistant manager, “but that’s what they keep doing. They keep churning out results.
“There was one team trying to win the game, and one team trying not to lose the game. I think in football terms the team that deserved to win won.”
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