Rooney on target again as Dons take a point
Ross County 1 | De Leeuw 36′
Aberdeen 1 | Rooney 77′ (Considine sent off 88′)
SPFL Premiership | Global Energy Stadium, Dingwall | KO 7.45pm | FT
Match summary:
The Dons failed to win in Dingwall and finished with 10 men but claimed what could be a vital point against Ross County.
They started the match well but found themselves going in a goal down at half time. Mark Brown twice denied Barry Robson and they continued to play well for a spell after that. County thought they had taken the lead when Arquin pinched the ball off Alan Tate and slotted past Langfield but referee Brian Colvin ruled that the County player had fouled the Dons defender.
In 36 minutes, they did take the lead when Graham Carey’s free kick was played in and headed beyond Langfield by Melvin De Leeuw. Minutes later County could have made it 2-0 when poor play allowed De Leeuw to play the ball to Arquin who bore down on goal but Langfield made a fantastic save to deny the attacker and it remained only 1-0 at half time.
Joe Shaughnessy replaced Alan Tate at the break and the visitors started the second half well and dominated the opening stages. Barry Robson cracked the cross bar with a great effort and soon after should have had a penalty when his cut back was handled in the box. On 57 minutes, Logan- now playing at left back- floated in a ball which Cammy Smith headed towards goal but it crashed off the post and Shaughnessy couldn’t gather.
Jamie Langfield made a few vital saves as the game progressed and on 75 minutes County raced up field and Arquin thundered an effort towards goal which Langfield did really well to send round the post. Incredibly the referee awarded a goal kick and from it Aberdeen broke up field and when the ball arrived in the box it was fired against the post before Brown saved from Jack and Rooney prodded the rebound home. After that the visitors piled pressure on County and it was the home side who nearly scored again when- with a minute left- Carey raced clear of The Dons defence. Considine caught up with the player on the edge of the box and brought him down. Referee Colvin sent the defender off and awarded County a free kick which they wasted. The final two chances in stoppage time fell to The Dons- Zola scooping over the ball and Jack with a powerful effort which went just over the bar with the final touch.
Derek McInnes made two changes to the side that defeated Kilmarnock at the weekend with Alan Tate and Barry Robson replacing Russell Anderson and Nicky Low as The Dons went in search of another important three points in the race for second place. The full line up is:
Aberdeen team | Langfield, Logan, Tate (Shaughnessy 45′), Reynolds, Considine, Jack, Flood, Smith (Vernon 73′), Robson, Rooney, McGinn (Zola 85′)
Substitutes not used | Weaver, Robertson, Low, McManus
RedWeb match report | please click here
RedImages from Dingwall | please click here
Quotes from the press room | please click here
REDTV
The goals | please click here
Derek McInnes | please click here
Barry Robson | please click here
Mark Reynolds | please click here
Mark Reynolds | please click here
