Aberdeen dug deep to overcome a St Johnstone side chasing their fifth Scottish
Premier League game without defeat.
The Pittodrie clash was never a classic, and Robbie Winters 67th-minute goal
was really the only highlight of an otherwise dull and boring 90 minutes.
The Dons have surely now won their long, hard battle to avoid relegation - but
had it not been for a poor show by the visitors then things could have been so
different.
St Johnstone had not lost since their 1-0 defeat at Dunfermline in March and
have beaten both Rangers and Celtic in their last four matches.
They found the going very tough against the Dons - although in fairness
neither goalkeeper was ever really troubled, with both sides only managing three
shots each on target.
Dons' on-loan goalkeeper Tony Warner did have to reach to catch two low
crosses from Miguel Simao after the break.
The match was full of failed passes and easy defending before livening up
slightly after the hour mark. Eoin Jess had a crack at goal on 64 minutes before
Winters latched on to Andy Dow's neat ball into the box to give the Dons the
winning goal three minutes later.
Dow almost scored himself four minutes from time as he skipped his way through
the Saints defence only to be denied by a great save from goalkeeper Alan Main.
Aberdeen then had to defend well in the remaining minutes as St Johnstone laid
siege in the hosts' half. But the Dons clung on to a slender lead, which gave
them victory over the Saints at Pittodrie for the first time in seven years and
denied their visitors.
Teams:
Aberdeen: Warner, Whyte, Smith, Jess, Mayer, Dow,
Bernard (Hamilton 63), Anderson, Buchan, Wyness (Pepper 90),Winters.
Subs Not Used: Leighton, Young, Hart.
Goals: Winters 67.
St Johnstone: Main, Dasovic, Weir, O'Neil, Kane, Bollan,
Griffin, O'Halloran (Lowndes 55), McAnespie (Preston 73), Dods,Simao (Grant 65).
Subs Not Used: McQuillan, Robertson.
Att: 9,561
Ref: B Orr (Kilbarchan).
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