ABERDEEN 1 ROSS COUNTY 2
SPFL Premiership
Thursday 2nd January 2025
Pittodrie
Ref: David Dickinson
Attendance: 17,007
Two superb goals from Ross County and a string of gilt-edged chances that were squandered by the Dons late on, saw Aberdeen fall to a fourth straight defeat in the snows of Pittodrie.
With Sivert Heltne Nilsen, Ante Palaversa and Slobodan Rubezic all suspended, and Dimitar Mitov injured, there were four changes to the Aberdeen side that lost 1-0 at Dundee United. Graeme Shinnie, Duk, Angus MacDonald and Ross Doohan all returned to the starting XI, with Tom Ritchie, Fletcher Boyd, Victor Enem and Alfie Stewart adding to the bench.
After mounting a late fightback to draw 2-2 with Hearts on Sunday, Ross County made three changes, James Brown, Jordan White and Nohan Kenneh starting at Pittodrie with Jack Grieves, George Harmon and Ronan Hale among the substitutes.
The game kicked off amid a flurry of snow that began to increase quite sharply soon after. County were the shaper starters, forcing an early corner, Doohan having to get down at his near post to save after they played it short. As early as the 12th minute, the ball was leaving trails in the snow as it was played along the deck.
Josh Nisbet tried an effort from distance as a clearance dropped nicely for him after 14 minutes, Doohan dealing with it comfortably enough. A mazy run from Chilvers a minute later ended with another shot being well blocked. On 16 minutes, the groundstaff were out clearing the lines from the snow as, fortunately, the weather began to brighten.
Topi Keskinen went into the book on 22 minutes following a high challenge on Randall.
County were in front on 24, perhaps deservedly so, and it was a magnificent goal when it came from Wright. Chilvers played the ball across the top of the box, the ball sitting up beautifully for him and from 30 yards, his shot looped across goal, over the top of Doohan and into the far top corner. County’s goal of the season competition can close now.
Ester Sokler needed the tender care of the physios after 28 minutes, but his race was run, Kevin Nisbet replacing him. Brown was booked two minutes later, bundling Duk to the ground as he raced onto a Nicky Devlin throw. Efete was next to require treatment after 39 minutes, but he was able to carry on after the application of the magic sponge. He was down again four minutes later, replaced this time by Harmon.
Duk made his way into the County box on 44, but from a tight angle, he couldn’t get his drive on target, the ball wide of the near post. Heading into ten added minutes, it was Gavin Molloy’s turn to call for the physios after injuring his shoulder in a collision with Wright.
County continued to press, Chilvers in particular impressing, drilling a dangerous ball through the six-yard box in the fifth added minute – thankfully nobody got a touch to it.
Dohan had to make an important save a minute later as Kenneh accelerated beyond MacDonald and danced into the box without any real challenge, but the goalkeeper was down to block his low shot and keep Aberdeen in the game as the snow began to increase again.
Another hefty collision, this time between Jamie McGrath and Lopata saw the physios working overtime in the eighth minute of added time in a half that was going to threaten to go the full hour. It looked a particularly nasty blow for McGrath who was eventually able to carry on.
McGrath was still off the pitch though as Kevin Nisbet took the resultant free-kick. He drilled the ball drilled low under the wall, Amissah making a real mess of it, seemingly diving too soon and scooping the ball into his own net. From nowhere, Aberdeen were level, the half finally ending after 58 minutes and 58 seconds.
HALF-TIME: ABERDEEN 1 ROSS COUNTY 1
Aberdeen looked revitalised by Nisbet’s equaliser and in the 48th minute, they were a whisker away from the lead. McGrath collected the ball 20 yards into the County half and fed Duk at inside-right. Bursting past his defender, on the swivel Duk crashed a shot past the goalkeeper but against the bar and away.
Amissah made a fine save at his near post after 54 minutes, the Dons breaking down the left with Duk, who pulled the ball back into Nisbet at the near post. His first time effort was goalbound but Amissah clawed the ball away to safety.
The Staggies weren’t finished though and a break on 59 minutes set Harmon away down the left, his cross reaching White at the back post. Under pressure from Molloy, he headed over.
No matter for County though, for within seconds, Chilvers had caused havoc. Getting to the by-line then weaving his way back inside, he looked to be standing the ball up to Brown at the back post but instead it was a clever chipped shot that drifted over Doohan and into the net.
Chilvers was booked on 65 minutes for the visitors and within a minute, Amissah was making another terrific save, MacDonald manufacturing a clever flicked back header at a corner that the goalkeeper saved away to his left at full stretch.
Sleet started to fall across Pittodrie as the Dons brought on Shayden Morris instead of McGrath on 70 minutes. Leak crumpled to the turf two minutes later with nobody near him as he tried to chase a pass down, and he was replaced by Telfer as he struggled off the pitch.
There was controversy after 77 minutes, Duk wriggling into the box and falling to the turf, only to be yellow carded for simulation. Jack MacKenzie, Leighton Clarkson and Duk were then replaced by James McGarry, Dante Polvara and Peter Ambrose. County responded by introducing Allardice and Hale for Kenneh and Nisbet.
Good work from Devlin and Morris down the right won a corner on 87 minutes, the Dons keeping County penned in, Molloy eventually driving a dangerous cross right through the penalty area without getting a touch.
A Shinnie free-kick from 50 yards out caused problems for County, Polvara winning a flicked header on the edge of the box, Ambrose bustling onto it, but from 12 yards out, he poked his shot well over the bar.
Nisbet was inches away in the 92nd minute, Morris clipping a cross onto his head, six yards out and in the centre of the goal, but his glancing header drifted wide of the goal. Within a minute, another great chance went begging, Keskinen darting beyond two defenders, pulling the ball back to Nisbet in a very similar position, but he stabbed his effort over the bar, as Aberdeen squandered yet another glorious opportunity to at least salvage a point.
ABERDEEN: Doohan, Devlin, Molloy, MacDonald, MacKenzie (McGarry 79), Shinnie, Clarkson (Polvara 79), Keskinen, McGrath (Morris 70), Duk (Ambrose 79), Sokler (Nisbet 30).
Subs Not Used: Ritchie, Enem, Boyd, Stewart.
GOAL: Nisbet (45+10)
BOOKED: Keskinen, Duk
ROSS COUNTY: Amissah, Wright, Lopata, Leak (Telfer 75), Brown, Efete (Harmon 44), Randall, Chilvers, White, Nisbet (Hale 82), Kenneh (Allardice 82).
Subs not used: Hamilton, Brophy, Grieves, Loturi, Reid.
GOALS: Wright (24), Chilvers (60)
BOOKED: Brown, Chilvers, Lopata
