There was nothing to separate the sides in dreadful conditions after either
side had their moments.
Aberdeen controlled the majority of the first-half, but it was the visitors
who asked the questions after the break.
Motherwell lived up to their nickname of the 'Steel Men' after falling behind
to an Eoin Jess goal on 31 minutes when the striker slammed home his 11th goal
of the season shooting home past Steve Woods from 25 yards.
Well equalised on 67 minutes when Lee McCulloch drilled the ball home with the
Dons screaming for an offside flag.
And despite the visitors being reduced to 10 men on 83 minutes when Steve
McMillan was dismissed for a lunge at Aberdeen defender Mark Perry, the visitors
held on deservedly for a draw.
Despite dropping a point, it now means that Aberdeen have gone four games
without defeat under caretaker boss Paul Hegarty.
This will have done no harm to the ex-Dundee United stalwart's chances of
getting the manager's job at Pittodrie on a permanent basis.
Teams:
Aberdeen: Stillie, Perry, Whyte, Pepper (Newell 74), Inglis,
Jess, Kiriakov, Dow, Buchan (Hart 86), Rowson, Winters.
Subs Not Used: Smith, Gillies, Esson.
Goals: Jess 31.
Motherwell: Woods, McMillan, Brannan, Valakari, Coyle,
Christie (Nevin 57), Thomas, McCulloch (Adams 76), Doesburg,
Teale, Spencer (May 72).
Subs Not Used: Ramsey, Bannister.
Sent Off: McMillan (83).
Booked: McCulloch, Spencer, Brannan.
Goals: McCulloch 67.
Att: 15,269
Ref: J Underhill (Edinburgh).
It was Jess, the former Coventry striker, who had first threatened Motherwell in
the early stages of the game.
After three minutes, Jess fed Ilian Kiriakov a neat pass and after the
Bulgarian had shaken off the challenge of Ged Brannan he played an angled
through-ball to Jamie Buchan who blasted over.
A minute later, Robbie Winters saw his diving header saved by Well keeper
Steve Woods after Nigel Pepper had provided a weighted ball in behind the
visitors' defence.
At the other end, Kevin Christie's low shot from 20 yards was easily collected
by stand-in Dons keeper Derek Stillie.
With Aberdeen pushing forward, Mark Perry played a neat chip into the penalty
area which Derek Whyte flicked on to Winters, and although the striker's shot
clipped the top of the bar, it was flagged offside.
Aberdeen kept pushing forward and their pressure paid off just after 31
minutes when they went ahead.
Jess collected the ball 25 yards out, and after realising there were no
defenders near him he tried a speculative shot which beat keeper Woods low at
his right-hand post.
Two minutes later Winters almost made it 2-0 but his low, angled shot from
inside the box went inches wide of the target.
Within a minute of the restart, the Dons almost stretched their lead. Pepper
skipped past Steve McMillan before firing in a low left-foot drive which Woods
could only parry, but with no Dons players ready to pounce on the rebound, the
danger was easily mopped up by Christie.
Dons midfielder David Rowson then came close as he latched onto a corner, but
his header went just the wrong side of the post.
Motherwell were enjoying their best spell of the game with on-loan striker
John Spencer sending an angled shot just wide, just after Dons keeper Stillie
had made a double save from both Spencer and Coyle.
And the visitors grabbed a deserved equaliser after 67 minutes when Lee
McCulloch slipped the ball past Stillie with the Dons players looking for an
offside decision.
Aberdeen pressed for the winner but had to settle for a point which leaves
them sixth in the table and two points behind tonight's visitors.
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