Aberdeen 2 - 1 Inverness CT

Aberdeen recorded their 200th Scottish Cup win at Pittodrie this afternoon thanks to a brace by man of the match Darren Mackie. The win will give the Dons a boost for the final stretch of the season as they ease into the quarter final of the competition. Two goals from Darren Mackie and a reply from Inverness manager Craig Brewster had the Dons in front at the interval. Noel Whelan had a couple of easy chances to finish the game off after the break but failed to hit the target meaning the Dons could not relax until Willie Young blew his Whistle in the 6th minute of injury time and the Dons fans in the 10,595 crowd could celebrate.

Aberdeen started the game positively with some probing balls testing the Inverness back four and they won the first corner of the match in the 3rd minute. Unfortunately Clark curled the ball out of play to relieve the pressure and a minute earlier Heikkinen, who was playing at the back, had to look lively to halt an Inverness attack. Inverness then threatened again in the 7th minute when they won a free kick on the right. Fortunately the delivery was poor and Aberdeen cleared easily. The visitors were now starting to take a grip of the game and Brewster rattled the post in the 10th minute following a second corner in as many minutes. The Dons then wasted a 13th minute corner before taking the lead two minutes later.

McNaughton collected the ball on the right and floated a perfect cross into the middle of the penalty area where Mackie bravely stuck his head in and beat the advancing Brown to give the Dons an early advantage. Inverness had a chance to level in the 22nd minute when they won a free kick on the edge of the box, but Juanjo failed to get the ball beyond the wall. The visitors only had to wait another two minutes before grabbing an equaliser in the 24th minute when Brewster steered home a Hart free kick with Esson exposed. Inverness almost struck again two minutes later when Golabek hit the bar with the Dons defence in disarray. Caley had the upper hand at this stage but McNaughton did briefly threaten on the half hour mark before letting the ball run out of play.

Whelan then threatened a minute later but again control let him down allowing Brown to gather at his feet. Craig then went close in the 32nd minute firing a low shot in from the left, which Brown did well to block. Seconds later Bayne nipped between two defenders and scooped the ball over Esson and over the bar. Aberdeen then grabbed a second in the 34th minute when Brown made another fine save from a Winter drive but could only beat the ball out into the path of Mackie. Despite appeals for offside Mackie wasted no time in firing the ball into the net, leaving arguments of how active or inactive he was to post match comment. In the final minute Brewster spotted Esson off his line and attempted to lob him from the half way line but was well wide of the target.

Inverness started the second half with a flowing move that was halted by an offside flag before a spell of scrappy play was broken in the 51st minute when Aberdeen should have added a third goal. Heikkinen released Mackie and the striker found Whelan in the six-yard box. Unfortunately the Englishmen screwed his effort so wide it came back to Mackie. He then found Craig at the far post and Craig smashed his effort off the cross bar before the visitors scrambled the ball clear. Willie Young, celebrating his 500th game in charge, then got the crowd buzzing with a couple of controversial decisions as the play raged from end to end.

With Inverness pressing harder, John Stewart replaced Craig in the 69th minute and a minute later Caley's Hart collected the first yellow of the match and was immediately replaced by McBain. Stewart went close in the 74th minute when he was released on the left by Whelan and fired a low shot across the face of the Inverness goal. Mackie, who was having a superb match, was released by Winter in the 77th minute, skipped inside and set up Whelan 12 yards out. Once again the Englishman failed to find the target and hit the ball wide with only Brown to beat. Three minutes later Derek Adams replaced the Englishman.

Mackie went close to clinching his hat trick in the 87th minute when his perseverance paid off and he collected a lost cause at the bye line, but Brown made a good save to deny him. A minute later Mackie got a deserved round of applause as he was replaced by McGuire. Aberdeen survived an aerial bombardment in injury time and ended the match on the attack as they clinched their 200th Scottish Cup win and a place in Monday evening's quarter final draw.