Saints cruise in Aberdeen

May 10 2011 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

REWIND back to August and Aberdeen fans left Perth in their droves convinced the good times were ready to roll again.

All it took to trigger this unbridled optimism was a four goal opening day gubbing of Hamilton and a scruffy, sclaffed late winner in the Fair City.

But with half an hour left of the latest encounter between these two teams, depressed Dons were sloping off in the drizzle descending on Oil City wondering where it all went wrong.

Yet again they had seen a season unravel, with yet another managerial casualty along the way. #

But for a dead cat bounce when Craig Brown replaced Mark McGhee, the woeful Reds would be fretting about a first-ever exit from the SPL.

Saints were vastly superior in every department, from first to last, and rarely, if ever, can they have dominated a game quite so completely in the Granite City.

Seven days on from a win at Easter Road, with two goals to boot, the Perth side had the focus, the enthusiasm and the competitive streak utterly absent in rivals who whinged at every turn, rolled over and endured grief from supporters who stuck it out to the final whistle without seeing Perth keeper Peter Enckelman field a single direct shot.

A Dons own goal secured a Saints win on their previous trip and this time defender Stevie Smith helped the visitors on their way to another three points, bundling a six-yard box touch past his own keeper trying to deal with a low cross driven in by makeshift full-back Liam Craig. It was St Johnstone’s 500th SPL goal.

Hard on the heels of the capital goals which transformed the mood around McDiarmid, it was due reward for an aggressive start and Saints never looked back. An impressive Jamie Adams notched his first Saints goal on the hour mark and the only surprise was the modest margin of victory.

Derek McInnes was adamant that his players would not be allowed to slip away ignominiously after the painful cup defeat and he has got the reaction he wanted in the dressing room.

After a minute's silence in memory of Eddie Turnbull, a former manager in the Granite City, the visitors seized the initiative from the off, with Craig's cross clipped by Andy Jackson before Smith did the job for a striker desperate to play his way into an extended stay.

Cohort Peter MacDonald could soon be on his way but workrate like this will ensure he doesn't want for a club.

Neither found the target but their grafting typified this St Johnstone performance.

The backline was solid and in midfield Adams produced a convincing impersonation of Martin Hardie in his prime, while Murray Davidson's hip cut short another impressive display.

Chris Millar's touch and vision was on a different plane from anyone in a red jersey.

Michael Duberry returned to anchor the backline with Steven Anderson dependable at his shoulder.

If the Englishman, who was winding-up Dons fans as he departed with a "Mighty Doobs" pose, declines to stay it will be easier plugging the Grand Canyon than filling the hole he will leave.

His 11th minute clearing header saw MacDonald breeze past Hearts-bound Diamond but another convincing penalty call went against him.

Kevin Moon was ready to net in the 26th minute but a defender's intervention denied him a six yard box finish, Millar rattled Langfield with a crisply struck 20-yarder, Magennis prevented Jackson cashing in on a Moon miscue and MacDonald's shoot-on-sight philosophy had the keeper fending off a shot at the post.

No one in the sparse crowd thought Saints would dominate the second-half in the same fashion.

We were proved wrong.

Apart from a deflected Low cross which confused Enckelman and looped off the face of the crossbar, Aberdeen were devoid of ideas.

Davidson's ball-winning capability and Millar's precision released Jackson behind the Dons defence in the 54th minute.

The striker, rebuilding a career and confidence undermined by injuries, could be worth holding onto.

He'd just dusted himself down after a painful challenge and keeper Langfield won their head to head at the expense of a bloody nose.

You could sense the striker's disappointment.

But the Dons net was bulging in the 60th minute from a training ground ploy. Craig's corner was perfectly place and Adams charged away from his marker to power home an unstoppable six-yard header. The Perth players' raucous celebrations echoed around the stadium. They, and everyone else, knew it was job done.

ABERDEEN: Langfield, Diamond (Robertson 40), Maguire, Aluko, Vujidinovic, Young, Smith, Magennis (Low 77), Jack, Blackman (Fyvie 66) and Milsom. Subs not used: Howard, Anderson, Masson and Grimmer.

SAINTS: Enckelman, Mackay, Anderson, Adams, Duberry, Davidson (Maybury 59), Millar, Moon, Craig, Jackson (Reynolds 85) and MacDonald (May 90). Subs not used: Smith, Durnan, Invincibile and Robertson.

REFEREE: John McKendrick.