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Aberdeen V Kilmarnock

14 January 2012

redweb match report

This was first match of 2012 at Pittodrie and neither Aberdeen nor Kilmarnock could make the breakthrough in a disappointing affair. Very few chances were created by either side, however, the Dons have now been defeated just once in their last eight games.

Craig Brown made two enforced changes for the afternoon with Andrew Considine returning from Cup Suspension to replace Isaac Osbourne and captain the side. Chris Clark started in place of Peter Pawlett. As a result, Rory McArdle was once again asked to fill in at right back and Clark Robertson, who performed well in the cup the weekend before, played at left back. New recruit Mark Reynolds made his Pittodrie debut alongside Considine in the centre of defence.

The opening stages were poor with the main threat for Aberdeen coming from corner kicks. From one of them, Chris Clark tested Cammy Bell but the keeper held on well to Clark’s low drive. The best chance of the early stages fell to the visitors- Gary Hay’s long range effort had to be tipped over by Jason Brown.

On 29 minutes Aberdeen created a half chance when Fraser Fyvie swung in a dangerous cross from the left but no one was there to connect with it and Kilmarnock cleared comfortably. 2 minutes later Rory McArdle was cautioned following a challenge on Danny Racchi just over the half line- leaving the Dons man to walk a tight rope for the rest of the game.

Six minutes later Aberdeen won another corner when Fyvie’s effort was blocked by Gary Hay. At the resultant corner, Kari Arnason found himself in space but could only direct his header over the crossbar. Up the other end, Dean Shiels had a shot from 18 yards which Jason Brown had to look sharp to save as a disappointing first half drew to a close.

HT 0-0

The second half began in much the same manner of the first with very little constructive football and it was left to Dons centre back, Mark Reynolds to have the home side’s first attempt of the second period when he shot well wide of the target on 48 minutes.

Paul Heffernan then took exception to a challenge from Ryan Jack close to the dugouts and both players received a stern talking to from referee Calum Murray. Josh Magennis was also spoken to by the referee following the resultant melee.

At this stage the Dons were being flagged offside regularly in what was becoming an immensely frustrating game for the fans and players alike and particularly for the forward pairing of Scott Vernon and Mohamed Chalali. Fyvie did send in a sublime cross on 64 minutes but the ball was once again cleared by Sissoko in the Killie defence.

But it was Killie who nearly took the lead seconds later. Fowler’s cross found Racchi again in the box but his chip landed on top of the net rather than it- to the relief of the Red Army. Up the other end, a good run and cross from the right from Ryan Jack again put pressure on the Killie defence and from Jack’s resulting corner Rory McArdle headed into the side netting at the far post.

With no sign of the game improving in quality, Craig Brown replaced Mohamed Chalali and Scott Vernon, who had an unusually quiet afternoon, with Rory Fallon and Mitch Megginson.

Despite the personnel changes the game continued in the same vein with the odd half chance for both sides but very little in the way of clear cut opportunities. Kilmarnock nearly changed that though on 79 minutes when Paul Heffernan found himself bearing down on the Dons goal having escaped the attention of the Aberdeen backline-Jason Brown did really well to block the effort from the Irishman.

The Dons did try to push forward a bit more in the closing few moments, however, with the exception of a Fraser Fyvie shot in the final minute they failed to trouble Cammy Bell and the game ended in stalemate- the second successive game at Pittodrie to end that way.

FT 0-0

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