Motherwell 1 - 0 Aberdeen

For the third time in four seasons Aberdeen crashed out of the CIS cup at the quarterfinal stage and missed out on another big payday. They started positively but lost a goal in five minutes then missed a penalty two minutes later. They then huffed and puffed for the remainder of the match but never looked like breaking down the home defence. When Diamond was handed a straight red in the 73rd minute it marked the end of the Dons hopes for another season.

Aberdeen kicked off and Scott Severin attempted an audacious effort from the half way line as he spotted Smith out of his goal and attempted to chip him. The effort went wide but seconds later Jamie Smith had another shot at goal but it also sailed wide. The Dons had made a positive start but in the second minute Anderson had to look lively to clear the ball when Langfield was slow coming off his line. Disaster then struck in the 5th minute when Kerr collected a layback and struck a sweet shot beyond Langfield from 20 yards.

A minute later Jamie Smith went on a maisy and was tripped inside the box by McCormack to win a penalty. A bit of unsporting behaviour earned the Motherwell keeper a yellow card then he became the hero as he dived to his left to save Jamie Smith's spot kick. Jamie reacted quickly but the keeper made a second save to deny Aberdeen. Aberdeen still looked confident despite the poor start and Severin tried from long range in the 15th minute. Two minutes later a mistake from Chris Clark allowed Foran a shot at goal but Langfield made a safe catch.

The Motherwell defence were forced to scramble the ball clear in the 19th minute after some fine play from Crawford. Seconds later McDonald almost escaped from Diamond, but the youngster recovered to steer the forward wide. Motherwell had gained confidence from the good start and they were working hard to close Aberdeen down then in the 24th minute a great turn from McDonald almost produced a second goal. Fortunately the shot was drilled wide. Then two minutes later Severin linked well with Crawford but produced a poor finish that went well wide of the target.

Another effort from Severin on the half hour mark looked to be on target before Dempsey stuck out a foot and deflected the ball wide. Aberdeen won a corner in the 33rd minute but the keeper punched clear under pressure then two minutes later Smith had options, but went for goal and hit his shot well wide. Another well-worked free kick in the 37th minute was booted away for a corner. The first effort was scrambled away at the near post then Byrne headed the second attempt over. A tremendous block by Anderson in the 42nd minute won Motherwell their first corner then from the set play Langfield made a fine save. A minute later Dempsey found a lot of space inside the Motherwell area but headed unchallenged over the bar.

Aberdeen made a positive start and won a corner in the opening minute. That effort was cleared but a minute later Severin tested Smith in the Motherwell goal. Motherwell broke in the 50th minute and McDonald fired the ball into the side netting as a warning to the Dons. Anderson made another telling tackle in the 52nd minute then seconds later Diamond stuck out a knee to clear the ball as the home side threatened. A few weeks ago Darren Mackie came off the bench to salvage a point against Motherwell and Calderwood called on him in the 53rd minute to replace Byrne. Within two minutes Smith stepped inside and had a decent effort deflected for a corner.

Motherwell threatened again in the 58th minute as Fagan pulled a shot wide of Langfield's right hand post. The game went into a lull with passes going astray and neither side able to impose themselves. Anderson produced yet another saving tackle in the 62nd minute then he was first to the corner to clear the danger. Foran tested Langfield again in the 68th minute but Aberdeen continued to struggle in the final third. A minute later Mackie was bundled over as he went to head the ball into the net, but there was to be no second spot kick. Foster then replaced the injured Severin as time began to run out for the Dons.

Three minutes later Smith delivered a great pass to the back post but Dempsey could only steer it wide under pressure. Then in the 73rd minute a Nicholson free kick caused problems but Diamond couldn't steer the ball on target. Seconds later Aberdeen were reduced to ten men when Diamond was given a straight red for deliberate hand ball despite the fact that Muirhead appeared to be behind him and covering McDonald. McDonald should have sealed it in the 75th minute when he headed wide when it looked easier to score. Four minutes later Kerr hit another great strike and Langfield produced a great save to deny him.

Stewart, who replaced Dempsey in the 74th minute, had a chance to level but screwed the ball well over the bar. Four minutes from time Motherwell goalkeeper took a dramatic dive that earned Darren Mackie a yellow card. Langfield also collected a yellow late in the match as he tried to stop Motherwell from wasting time. At the end of the day the home side deserved their win and Aberdeen yet again fail to make the last four in a cup competition.