Aberdeen 0 - 0 Partick Thistle

For the second festive game at home the Dons could only draw a match they will feel they should have won. It was a night of real frustration. Aberdeen were slow to get going in the first half although Graeme Shinnie hit the crossbar with a superb shot that just did not dip enough. After the break the Dons had an onslaught towards the Thistle goal but could find no way through. Kenny McLean, who had a very good game once again, and Niall McGinn forced good saves from Tomas Cerny who also had an impressive 90 minutes. Substitute Peter Pawlett beat two defenders before a shot was blocked again by Cerny. And late on real frustration as Shinnie had a shot blocked from point-blank range and then Adam Rooney shot wide late on with Mark Reynolds just failing to get a touch.

Ryan Jack went off with a hamstring injury. He will get a scan tomorrow but the manager revealed that his skipper, playing his 200th game, is likely to be out for at least six weeks.

match report

The game went ahead despite much of the city and shire being under water. The game itself was played in good conditions for the time of year and the ground staff deserve great credit for getting both festive games on. The pitch understandably was soft and this made it hard for the Aberdeen players in the first half to get any real pace on the ball and move it about the field quickly.

Mark Reynolds and Willo Flood came back into the side with Quinn and Considine dropping to the bench. Shinnie went back to left back. Aberdeen forced some early corners and put over some testing crosses but the handling of Tomas Cerny in the Partick goal was very sound all night. On five minutes, one of the rare crosses which did miss the keeper was played deep to Reynolds but his header back across goal was not strong enough and Cerny gathered comfortably. On 9 minutes a clever pass from McLean gave Hayes some room in the box but his shot was deflected into the side netting. Hayes was looking very lively and on 12 minutes he went on a run down the right before cutting inside. He managed to get a shot away but it was always off target. Although he was being fouled in the process.

Thistle to their credit had not just come to defend. On 12 minutes Amoo put over a testing cross which Taylor had to head clear. Both Taylor and Reynolds had good games this evening. On 15 minutes the visitors only shot on target saw Doolan hit an effort which was moving about all over the place and in the end Danny Ward made the save look very easy as he just clutched the ball out of the air.

Then on 19 minutes the crowd came to life when a clever run from McGinn dragged defenders with him. This meant that when Shinnie picked the ball up outside the box he had some room for a shot. He hit a fantastic effort which beat Cerny but cannoned off the bar. For the second game in a row the woodwork had denied the Dons.

For the rest of the half Aberdeen enjoyed a lot of possession but did not do enough to test a very well organised Thistle defence.

HT

Aberdeen stepped up the tempo in the second half. In the first minute Shinnie moved down the left and he found McLean who cut inside but his shot was blocked. Aberdeen put crosses over from the left and right as they continued to play some nice football but the final ball let them down. In the 56th minute a more direct approach very nearly led to the opener. Shay Logan played a great ball over the top and McGinn latched onto it. He was one on one with the keeper who was well outside his goal so Niall tried to lob him but could not get the ball high enough.

A minute later an even better chance. A free kick was played in by Shinnie and knocked down by Taylor. His header found Hayes on the edge of the six yard box but he could not direct his shot past the keeper.

In the 64th minute Ryan Jack limped off with a hamstring injury. It looked a bad one. He was replaced by Peter Pawlett. A minute later an opening for Hayes, his shot was blocked and the ball very nearly bounced kindly for Shinnie. Three minutes later McLean fired in a powerful low shot with his left foot but once again Cerny made a decent stop. Then a couple of minutes after that Niall McGinn had one his trademark runs into the area from the left. He dipped his shoulder and his shot beat Cerny but the defence managed to block the shot across goal.
In the 72 minutes the best chance. Peter Pawlett made a great direct run. He ran straight at the Partick defence and was one on one with Cerny but once again the keepers positioning was spot on and the keeper blocked.

Aberdeen had given everything for a 20 minute spell but could find no way through. Partick then came back into the game and substitute Pogba had a few openings. The big striker in the 85th minute got the break of the ball inside the area but dragged his shot wide.

Back came the Dons for a final assault. In the 87th minute they missed a golden chance. A well worked move down the right saw the ball break for Rooney in the area. He failed to get a shot away but set up Shinnie but his shot from close range was very well blocked and the ball looped over. And then in the final minute Rooney had a great chance but the Dons top scorer failed to connect and could only watch as the ball shipped past the post with Mark Reynolds desperate dive just not able to get to the ball.

It was one of those nights.

Five minutes of injury time saw more balls played in to the box but still there was no way past Cerny and the Thistle defence.