St Mirren U18s 2 Aberdeen U18s 1
Club Academy Scotland U18 Elite League
Friday 2nd May 2025
Ralston Training Complex
Aberdeen made three changes from last week’s 2-1 win over Queen’s Park as they travelled to face St Mirren in Paisley on Friday afternoon.
Oliver Green, Joseph Teasdale and Ellis Clark all dropped out as Victor Enem, Samuel McLean and Aaron Cummings came into the team.
Although the visitors took the lead early on through Fraser Mackie, St Mirren found themselves level before the half-hour mark thanks to Luke Douglas. Douglas’s late free-kick, which came against the run of play, then won it for the hosts.
Report
St Mirren pushed forward in the game’s infancy and forced Rodrigo Vitols into a close-range save on just two minutes.
The Dons then got a feel of the ball from then. Mackie thought he was sent in behind the Saints’ defence, only to be flagged offside.
Grant Tamosevicius was soon called into action as Aberdeen sought an early opener, with the goalkeeper tipping Cooper Masson’s effort over the bar.
From the resultant corner, a deep delivery saw the ball fall to Mackie at the back post. He made no mistake to find the back of the net for 1-0.
Moments later, the hosts could have easily found themselves level. Lewis Marshall was sent in behind the Dons’ backline but could only scuff his effort off target.
The all-action start to proceedings failed to let up midway through the first half as Zak To flashed an effort just over the bar after the ball fell to him kindly on the edge of the penalty area.
It was St Mirren, however, who scored next. Striker Douglas was found in behind the Dons’ defence and slotted his one-on-one effort through the legs of Rodrigo Vitols to draw his team level just before the half-hour mark.
The hosts remained on top after making it 1-1 and sustained a spell of pressure. Aberdeen, though, stood up well, and things stayed even at the break.
Half-time: St Mirren 1-1 Aberdeen.
Aberdeen emerged for the second half unchanged and almost retook the lead seconds into it. Mackie pounced on Tamosevicius’ spill yet saw his strike trickle just wide of the post.
Less than a minute later, Douglas could have put St Mirren ahead. He opened up his body and fired just past the target. The Saints number nine, who proved a continual threat, was sent clean through on Vitols not long after his previous chance. The Aberdeen keeper, however, emerged victorious to keep the score at one apiece.
Cummings then had a chance to put the Dons in front just after the hour mark. Jack Searle progressed well on the left-wing and cut back for the onrushing midfielder, who could only find the fence behind the St Mirren goal.
Aberdeen’s search for a second go-ahead goal continued, with left-back Oliver Green flashing a dangerous ball across goal. Saints defended it, and the resultant corner, adeptly.
Eager for a winner, the Dons looked to make the most of their dominance in the final 15. Searle had a shot flash inches wide of the post shortly after Cooper Masson terrifically beat two men, only to see his strike saved at the near post by Tamosevicius.
For all of their late pressure, however, Aberdeen conceded a late goal rather than score one.
Masson gave away a free kick on the edge of the box after an off the ball incident. Douglas stepped up and curved the ball around the Dons’ wall and past an outstretched Vitols.
With three to go when they went behind, Aberdeen couldn’t find a late leveller and came home empty handed despite a valiant effort.
Full-time: St Mirren 2-1 Aberdeen
Stats
Aberdeen: Vitols, Enem (Green 31’), Ross, Carrol, Cummings, Masson, Mackie (Stephen 68’), McLean (Chikomo 81’), Searle, To, McDonnell.
Unused subs: Douglas, Fraser.
Goals: Mackie 8’.
Bookings: Masson 83’.
St Mirren: Tamosevicius, O’Brien, Falconer, Mcevoy, Clark, Hutchison, Turner, Hunter, Douglas, Marshall, Lavery.
Subs: Innes, Farquhar, Thompson, McCormick, Barr, Stoddart, Rory.
Goals: Douglas 26’ 87’.
