…as Saints move off bottom spot.

This match was not dissimilar to Tuesday night as Aberdeen put in a poor first half performance, but improved after the break. Unfortunately the outcome was different as this time Saints grabbed the winner with the last kick of the ball. Aberdeen went behind in the 27th minute when Howard came to collect a corner, missed it and allowed McAusland to head into the empty net. McArdle pulled one back for Aberdeen from a corner and the Dons looked favourite to grab the winner, but deep in injury time McGowan set up Travner for the winner.

Aberdeen kicked off in glorious sunshine and in the opening minutes both sides kept it tight in a cagey start. In the 4th minute Maguire tried to release Aluko, but there was too much pace on the pass. A minute later van Zanten beat Hartley and McArdle was forced to concede the first corner of the match. Aberdeen cleared easily and then had a good spell themselves and in the 9th minute there were loud claims for a penalty kick when van Zanten appeared to handle not once, but twice in the Saints box. However, referee Crawford Allan was not interested.

Two minutes later Aluko was brought down 35 yards from goal and the Nigerian international played the ball into the danger area, but the Saints defence managed to scramble it clear. Saints threatened through van Zanten, but with fifteen minutes gone neither side had created too much. In the 20th minute Maguire was harshly penalised as he went to collect a flick on from Vernon and seconds later Potter was all over Vernon like a rash, but he failed to win that decision.

Maguire won a free kick when he was upended in the 22nd minute. Hartley tried to release Aluko, but there was too much pace on the ball and the chance was lost. Great work from Mackie almost produced an opener in the 25th minute when he threaded a pass through to Vernon, but the big striker got the ball caught between his feet. Three minutes later Aberdeen were behind when once again the defence looked out of sorts when Howard came for a corner, missed it and allowed McAusland to head into the empty net.

Diamond was forced to head clear in the 35th minute then slips from both Jack and Hartley kept the pressure on as St. Mirren took confidence from the goal and Aberdeen began to look ragged. With five minutes of the half remaining Ifil and Wardlaw tangled with handbags at five paces. Aberdeen had been awarded the free kick and referee Allan sensibly spoke to both players, but took no more action. A late flag halted Saints in the final minute as a very poor first half stuttered to its conclusion.

In the opening seconds of the half St. Mirren were awarded an indirect free kick for a back pass that was hotly disputed by the Aberdeen players. The crowd were then thrown into confusion when the referee reversed his decision and restarted the match with a bounce up. A McArdle free kick set up an Aberdeen attack that ended with the Dons winning their first corner of the game. Hartley delivered and the ball was half cleared to Maguire who fired well over the bar.

At the other end Ifil was cautioned as he conceded a free kick wide left. Howard didn’t let his first half blunder worry him as he came out to claim the ball. Saints won another corner in the 54th minute, but this time Vernon was back to clear and Cregg hit the ball well off target. A minute later Aberdeen won a free kick, but they were unable to create anything from the set play and Saints were quickly back on the attack.

Maguire then went on a good run before being brought down by McGregor on the touchline. The ball was swung in by Hartley and following a miss kick from Maguire it fell to McArdle who drilled the ball into the net through a ruck of players. On the hour mark McGhee made a double change when Paton and Robertson replaced Aluko, who looked out of sorts and Ifil, who was on a booking. Darren Mackie then collected a caution in the 61st minute for a miss-timed challenge. From the free kick Wardlaw sent the ball inches wide of the target.

Aberdeen went close again in the 64th minute when Jack played a lovely ball into the box. Vernon went for the ball, but he would have been better leaving it to Mackie who was better placed. Hartley then sent the ball wide as Aberdeen began to impose themselves on the match. McArdle was forced to concede a corner in the 68th minute as Travner marauded forward. From the resulting corner kick Vernon did enough to put McGregor off as he headed over. In the 72nd minute good play from Maguire forced another corner that forced sustained pressure on the Saints goal.

Velicka then replaced Maguire in the 74th minute as Mark McGhee played his final card. Seconds later St. Mirren supporters were shouting for a spot kick when McGowan went down easily, but again nothing was given. A Saints free kick quickly followed, but Folly managed to clear. Vernon hadn’t won a free kick all afternoon and once again he was penalised in the 77th minute. Seconds later Paton did well, but Velicka was unable to get on the end of his cross. Velicka then won a free kick in a dangerous position.

Hartley went for goal, but it was deflected wide as Diamond tried desperately to keep the ball in play, but only succeeded in conceding the goal kick. Ten minutes from time a snap shot from McGowan went inches wide of Howard’s goal as this match looked like going to the wire. A minute later another free kick was conceeded allowing the ball to be launched at the Aberdeen goal. Howard was able to claim the looping header steered towards him as the home side pressed forward.

With five minutes remaining Paton went close when he got on the end of a Hartley free kick, but fired over the bar. Seconds later Jack won a corner and when Paton’s delivery was half cleared the ball landed at the feet of Hartley, but he failed to find the target. Jack then combined well with Paton and won another corner as his shot was deflected wide, The set play was cleared again, but Aberdeen continued to push forward and another strong penalty claim was turned down when the ball appeared to be handled by Higdon.

St. Mirren managed to break out to ease the pressure and won a free kick in a very dangerous position as Clark Robertson collected a yellow card. Travner stepped up and fired the ball wide. Aberdeen then stormed upfield again and Harley won another corner, but as the ball was delivered Vernon headed over. Two minutes of stoppage time was announced as both sides looked for a late winner. That winner came with the final kick of the game when Travner went on a great run, collected a pass from McGowan and steered the ball past Howard. With Celtic, Rangers and the high flying Inverness up in the next three matches this is not the result that manager Mark McGhee would have wanted.