Aberdeen 2 - 1 Motherwell

Aberdeen won their third home match in a row this afternoon but they made it difficult for themselves after playing some excellent football and looking totally in control of the match. Jamie Smith gave Aberdeen the lead in the 55th minute after some good passing play but a howler from Jamie Langfield five minutes later gave the visitor's an unexpected equaliser. A cross came off of Michael Hart and the keeper looked unsure as to whether he could pick the ball up and let it roll between his legs and into the empty net. Aberdeen looked out of sorts after that but Lee Miller popped up with four minutes remaining to turn a Chris Clark cross into the net.

After a minute's silence to remember the war dead Motherwell kicked off and they carved out the first chance in the 3rd minute when Elliot fired wide from 18 yards out. Two minutes later the visitor's won a free kick on the edge of the box after Scott Severin compounded an error by Anderson. Fortunately Keith Lasley fired well over from the set play. The Dons then won the first corner of the match in the 7th minute but the delivery from Nicholson was poor. Aberdeen finally started to get a grip on the game and a Nicholson free kick in the 12th minute found Smith at the back post and his header back across goal was cleared for a corner.

Two minutes later Langfield was down smartly to cut out a low cross before Clarkson almost broke through before finally being halted by Hart. Aberdeen then broke smartly with Lovell feeding Chris Clark before the Motherwell defence scrambled clear. Anderson then headed a corner wide in the 17th minute and Smith threatened with a dangerous cross that was cut out with Lovell lurking at the back post. Lovell then went close in the 20th minute but headed wide after Craigan misjudged a cross. A good move three minutes later saw Smith release Clark and his probing run ended with a deep cross that Nicholson failed to convert.

A minute later Nicholson had another chance but failed to get any power in his shot and Meldrum easily gathered. Aberdeen were now in total control and playing some nice football with danger coming from both flanks. There were loud appeals for a Dons penalty in the 31st minute but referee Richmond was unimpressed with the hand ball claim. Two minutes later Miller should have opened the scoring when he beat Meldrum to a Hart cross and bulleted the ball off the bar. Another good build up in the 35th minute saw a Clark drive charged down before Dempsey fired a Nicholson lay off well wide of the target.

The woodwork denied Aberdeen again in the 38th minute when Severin headed a Nicholson corner onto the upright with the keeper well beaten again. Aberdeen continued to play entertaining football but had still to produce an end product with Nicholson firing over in the 41st minute. The Dons were almost caught with a sucker punch in the 43rd minute when McGarry fired over from 18 yards. A minute later a Jamie Smith corner evaded everyone then Miller just failed to convert a Hart cross in the closing minute.

Smith broke on the left in the 47th minute but his cross was cleared before the ball was returned and Meldrum made a terrific one handed save from Miller before Lovell was flagged offside as the ball broke free. Anderson then had to make a telling last minute challenge as Lasley broke into the box. A good run by Smith in the 51st minute produced a chance as he played a one-two with Dempsey then fired wide. Minutes later Nicholson made a powerful run before being halted on the edge of the box as Aberdeen continued to lay siege to the Motherwell goal. Aberdeen finally took the lead in the 55th minute after another fine passing move.

A throw in on the right was played to Hart and quickly fed to Clark who found Smith on the left and the winger picked his spot and curled a shot past Meldrum into the far corner of the net. With Aberdeen in total control they managed to contrive an equaliser for Motherwell courtesy of a complete howler from Langfield. The ball was played into the Aberdeen box and rebounded of Hart. Langfield under no pressure appeared to dither over whether he could pick the ball up and allowed it to roll between his legs and into the empty net. Three minutes later Langfield got his body behind a Lasley shot as the visitor's looked buoyed by their goal.

Aberdeen had lost their rhythm now and were not enjoying the same possession. Nicholson had a chance in the 68th minute but failed to get any power behind his shot. Michael Hart then rescued the Dons in the 71st when Anderson slipped inside the box and Hart cut out Lasley's cross with Foran free at the far post. Mackie then replaced the tiring Lovell and Jamie Smith almost added a second but failed to get power in his stabbed shot that was easily held by Meldrum. Maguire then replaced Dempsey in the 77th minute as Calderwood went all out for the three points.

Just as it looked like Aberdeen would fail to come back they grabbed a second goal through Lee Miller. Chris Clark drove the ball across the face of the goal in the 86th minute and Lee Miller was first to react as he turned the ball past Meldrum. A relieved Jamie Langfield made a couple of confident catches late in the game and a final bugle charge from Motherwell wasn't enough to win or even merit a point for the Lanarkshire club. They may have made it difficult for themselves, but there is no doubt the Dons deserved their three points.

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Match Stats:

		Dons	'Well
Goal Attempts		10	3
On Target		3	1
Corners		10	0
Possession		54%	46%

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