Aberdeen U20s stayed top of the Development League after another win, but as Paul Sheerin told RedTV after the Partick Thistle game, the victory was not pretty.
“It was really tough.
“They made it difficult for us but it is a good win. A very good win. I have said in the past good teams win games when it is not quite going for them and it certainly was not going for us today. I don’t think we were as fluent as we have been in recent weeks. We were very scrappy in possession and struggled throughout to be honest. “They were far better than us in the first half and the biggest positive at the interval was the fact we were still level.
“We showed real character in the second half and battled hard and scored a couple of good goals. Jamie (Henry) wins a good challenge, Kieran (Giibbons) wins one and we get the reward for being brave in those situations. A good finish from Cem for the second goal and a great little touch round the corner for Kalvin to score the first.
“Robbie (Mutch) makes some good saves at good times. They had quite a few chances and he stood up to it really well. For a 16 year old boy to have played as much football as he has done at this level is a great credit to him and he has done well whenever he has come in. He has not conceded many goals.
“I said to them after the game that there has to be a realisation that sometimes it will not be your day and it will be a real battle and you have to work hard.
“They did not allow us time on the football. So you have to play ugly and win ugly. We have done that in the end but we could have done that better in the first half. I thought we were second to most things and did not win the personal battles. But after the break we started winning personal battles, we turned them round. It was not nice to watch but sometimes you have to do that to get a win and we have done that in the end.”
With the squad heavily depleted, over eleven players were missing today because of injury, being unable to play on the plastic pitch, international call ups or being out on loan; therefore Paul had to name himself as one of the substitutes.
“We played a number of the younger boys today. It has been difficult for them with the five overage player rule. Yesterday we lost Cammy who got called up to the Scotland U21 squad and Jamie Masson went out on loan. We had to make a couple of adjustments. Today was an opportunity for the young boys to come in and prove themselves at this level. They will get a chance to do that on a regular basis in the future but getting games now is good experience for them. Between now and the end of the season other opportunities will arise for them.
“We had a 14 year old and a 15 year old on the bench so me being named as a sub was only in case there was a real emergency, for example a couple of injuries early on. It would have been a big ask for these young lads to go and play for that length of time. That is the only way that I would have played, if there was a major emergency!
Paul will be playing though on Friday, during the half time match at Andrew Considine’s testimonial. A number of ex-players including Theo Snelders, Paul Mason and Robert Connor will also be putting their boots on again to play on the hallowed turf.
“I am playing in the half time match on Friday during Andy’s testimonial game. I was banging down doors to be involved in that! Probably safer that that is the only one I am involved in!”
Paul has a strong connection to Andy as he was the Aberdeen captain on the day the central defender made his debut, back in May 2004.
“I remember him being around the club but I don’t remember when he made his debut. It was just a case of getting that season finished as soon as possible!
“Andrew has been an amazing professional and the short time I have been back at the club he has done a great job for the team, whether it be at left back or centre half. Where ever you ask him to play he always gives you a performance level. His consistency is incredible and he has done that throughout his career at Pittodrie. No one deserves a testimonial more.”
