Aberdeen’s Scottish Premiership season continued with a crushing defeat at Pittodrie against St Johnstone on Saturday.
Not only did Aberdeen not respond to back-to-back league cup and league defeat, another defeat was suffered as the 100% home record was not only ended by smashed at Pittodrie! The Dons’ title credentials have been asked their first serious questions.
First half goals from Easton, Shaughnessy and Craig had St Johnstone in command, Taylor replying after the first two in the opening 10-minutes. MacLean added a couple in the second half too as the visitors completed a five-one rout….
St Johnstone made a flying start with Easton (5) opening the scoring with a fine volley that dipped beneath the bar and past Ward from 25-yards to give the Saints the lead.
This was doubled five-minutes later when a Lappin freekick was headed against the post by MacLean but Shaughnessy (10) came back to haunt Aberdeen with the former Don on hand to turn home the rebound, however it was ‘game on’ again – or so it was thought! – a couple of minutes later when Taylor (12) headed in a McGinn corner.
Aberdeen were back in the game and looked to be ready to force a leveller, until St Johnstone threatened again and eventually had a third on the half hour.
Craig force Ward into a fine save, which brought a corner for St Johnstone and from this the, so far brilliant loanee Liverpool ‘keeper, allowed another Craig (30) from the edge of the box to creep in beyond him to put the Saints three-one up at the break.
Any hopes Aberdeen had of getting back into the game were ended in the opening minutes of the second half when MacLean (47 & 51) twice headed home, firstly from a Craig corner and then four-minutes later, and just six into the second half, from a Cummins cross as St Johnstone matched a feet they managed in 1990 when they scored five!
The defeat might not have looked so bad if Rooney, McGinn and/or Goodwillie had been able to take chances they had.
On the other hand Ward almost made another mistake as he allowed a MacLean effort to get away from him as he almost completed his hat-trick, but if made little difference the damage had been done and Aberdeen were well beaten….
Five-goals conceded, which now makes in nine in the last three-matches played and lost compared to just three conceded in the previous eight wins before that leaves Aberdeen with plenty to think about over the international break with the lead cut to just a point when Champions Celtic beat Hamilton today.
Maybe the break comes at the right time?
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