Aberdeen 1 - 0 Motherwell

A Eugene Dadi header was enough to give Aberdeen all three points in a dire encounter at Pittodrie. It was certainly a sign of improvement when the Dons could collect all three points while not playing at their best, or in fact, anywhere near their best. The win marked six league wins in a row for the Dons at home, but only their second clean sheet of the season. This was a result 'ground out' in time honoured fashion.

Aberdeen started the game well with both Robbie Winters and Eugene Dadi having good scoring opportunities in the first minute, but keeper Mark Brown was out smartly to block both efforts. Aberdeen were totally in control and Darren Young tried to test the keeper in the 5th minute with a 20 yard drive, but his effort was well wide of the target. The pressure paid off a minute later when Dadi opened the scoring. Winters swung in a cross from the left and Dadi bulleted a header past Brown.

In the 11th minute Winters worked his way to the edge of the box, but like Darren Young earlier, his effort went tamely wide. Motherwell created their first chance two minutes later when Anderson had to look smart to clear the ball for a corner when Pearson had a scoring opportunity. The resultant corner had Dadi clearing the danger and a few minutes later the visitors went close with a well-worked free kick. Kjaer denied Motherwell an equaliser in the 21st minute when a Twaddle cross was bulleted towards goal by Elliot. Kjaer made a magnificent save low to his left hand post to keep the Dons ahead.

The Dons appeared to have lost their way as Motherwell continued to create the better chances as the visitors began to dominate the midfield area. The first yellow card of the match was shown to Scott Leitch in the 35th minute for a late challenge on Mackie. In the 41st minute the combination of Twaddle and Elliot worked once more as the later was given a free header from Twaddle?s cross. Fortunately for the Dons the effort went inches over the cross bar.

After a very slow start to the second period, Eric Black introduced his new signing, Eric Deloumeaux, in the 50th minute. Aberdeen had to wait until the 56th minute before creating their first chance of the second period. Darren Young latched on to a clearance and drilled the ball inches wide of the target. Skovdahl rang the changes in the 58th minute when he replaced Dadi with Zerouali.

Good work by Darren Young in the 61st minute set up Zerouali, but the striker was unable to control and the danger was cleared. A minute later, the Moroccan had another fine effort blocked as the Dons came back into the match. Zerouali was booked in the 67th minute after punching a Winters cross into the net. Motherwell had a long range effort comfortably saved by Kjaer in the 78th minute as chances were few and far between. Two minutes later Adams tried a quick free kick but it went wide with Kjaer scurrying across his goalmouth. A Zerouali free kick, which was easily dealt with by Brown, was the closest the Dons came to adding to their tally. A couple of Motherwell corners near the end kept the home crowd nervous as referee Willie Young managed to find four minutes of injury time.

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