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It's Miller Time Again As..

08 December 2007

..Dons close gap on rivals.

Match Report For the second week running Aberdeen came from one behind to win the match, but that is where the comparisons ended. Last week the Dons closed the opposition down and played some lovely football, but this week they had to win it dirty as they dug deep for the points. Fernandez had put the visitor’s ahead in the 27th minute when he headed a Fowler cross past Langfield. After the break Lee Miller won a penalty when O’Leary tripped him. The striker had been harshly cautioned in the first half for simulation but there was no mistake this time and Nicholson sent Combe the wrong way to level. Lee Miller then turned scorer fifteen minutes from time when he headed a Derek Young cross into the net for what proved to be the winner. Kilmarnock forced the Dons on to the back foot late on but they held on to secure all three points and close on Hibs and Dundee United.

Kilmarnock kicked off on a cold and blustery day at Pittodrie with both sides struggling with the conditions in the early stages. Clancy floated a free kick into the Aberdeen area in the 4th minute but the ball eluded everyone and went out of play. Aberdeen threatened a minute later as Aluko sent in a cross that didn’t quite pick out Miller. A short free kick in the 7th minute gave Aluko a sniff of goal but his low drive went wide then Byrne was penalised deep in the Killie box as the Dons began to take control of the game. Clancy picked up an early yellow card for a blatant tug on Young after the midfielder showed fine skill in turning the defender.

Unfortunately the free kick was wasted when Aluko failed to get the ball beyond the first defender. A Foster free kick a minute later was also wasted when it was played straight to Alan Combe. Miller then collected a controversial yellow card in the 14th minute for alleged simulation. It didn’t look like a spot kick, but neither did it look like a dive. Two minutes later Nish went down in similar circumstances and no action was taken although the visitor’s were appealing the free kick.

Kilmarnock were awarded a free kick 30 yards out that was fired into the wall then the Dons struggled to clear their lines before Langfield calmed the nerves as he grabbed the ball. Nish headed inches wide from six yards in the 23rd minute but the striker had been flagged offside anyway. The visitor’s were right back in the game now as the Dons started to surrender the middle of the park. Kilmarnock won the first corner of the match in the 25th minute and although the ball was scrambled clear Fernandez headed the visitor’s ahead a minute later when he headed a Fowler cross low into the net.

Aberdeen were on the back foot at this stage as the flowing football of last week appeared a distant memory. Aberdeen won their first corner in the 31st minute and Miller headed the ball on to the roof of the net. A spell of sustained pressure in the 37th minute failed to penetrate the Killie defence as Maguire rolled a rather harmless ball across the face of the goal. Two minutes later Mair had a shot deflected for a corner as Aberdeen looked to level before the break. A Foster cross was glanced goalwards by Miller and Combe smothered the ball at his near post. Frazer Wright almost levelled for the Dons in the 43rd minute when he headed a Derek Young cross inches over before a further two corners were desperately defended by Kilmarnock.

Lovell and Severin replaced Maguire and Aluko at the interval as Calderwood looked to turn the game round. The Dons certainly made a positive start and after an early cross caused problems Clark was released on the left in the 49th minute, but instead of hitting the line the winger cut inside and gave the ball away. Within a minute Kilmarnock were up the other end winning a couple of corners that caused all sorts of problems for the Dons. Lovell should have done better in the 53rd minute when Miller flicked on a Severin throw in but the striker fired well wide.

Great passing play in the 58th minute almost produced an equaliser when a Chris Clark shot was deflected over. The Dons player needed treatment after the move as he looked to be taken out of the play once the shot was away. The resulting corner came to nothing as Byrne headed weakly wide then Aberdeen won a penalty four minutes later when O’Leary brought down Miller after good work from Clark. Barry Nicholson stepped up and sent Combe the wrong way to level the match. The Dons went close again in the 68th minute when the ball fell to Byrne on the edge of the box and he volleyed over.

Young won a corner in the 72nd minute and as Clark returned the ball Miller steered it inches wide of the far post. Aberdeen’s pressure paid off in the 75th minute when Lee Miller powered a header past Combe as he rose to meet a Derek Young cross. Kilmarnock rolled their sleeves up as they looked to hit back and a loose ball in the middle of the park allowed them to break and win a corner. The danger was cleared before Nish had the ball in the net in the 84th minute but the flag had gone up about five minutes before the ball hit the back of the net. The Dons went close again two minutes later but Nicholson failed to steer a Young cross past Combe.

Kilmarnock to their credit pushed Aberdeen to the end as the Dons failed to hold on to the ball and allowed Kilmarnock to come on to them. A corner in injury time was cleared by Lee Miller then a long throw in caused problems as the Dons struggled to clear their lines. A minute later Fernandez fired wide then with the last kick of the game Langfield was forced to punch clear before the referee finally blew for full time. The whistle brought relief to the red army as Aberdeen close the gap on Hibernian and Dundee United and now face third placed Motherwell at Fir Park next week.

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