St. Mirren 0 - 1 Aberdeen

St. Mirren kicked off and Langfield conceded cheap possession in the 2nd minute with a poor clearance. The home side failed to capitalise on the mistake as the two teams matched each other with a 3-5-2 formation. Nicholson won a free kick in the 5th minute but Lee Miller failed to threaten and a minute later St. Mirren went close when a cross from Miranda was fired into the side netting by Billy Mehmet. Two minutes later the home side won the first corner of the match and Langfield managed to gather at the second attempt as Saints made the more positive start.

Derek Young lost possession in their next two attacks before Lee Miller had an ambitious effort in the 12th minute that went well wide. Both sides were cancelling each other out and neither side could find the spark to create a real chance. Miranda almost produced that spark in the 17th minute as he beat Foster with a bit of skill but couldn't produce a decent cross. With 20 minutes gone the home side were enjoying most of the possession and Aberdeen had still to seriously test Smith in the St. Mirren goal. Two minutes later Lee Miller was back helping his defence and conceded a corner. From the set play Keane steered the ball over the bar after a good delivery from Burke.

Another corner followed in the 24th minute as Severin was forced to head the ball clear. Seconds later Miranda was given a free header but he failed to hit the target. The Saints were coming at Aberdeen in droves as the Dons continued to give the ball away with monotonous regularity. Dan Smith got to the bye line in the 29th minute but van Zanten cleared at the near post and three minutes later Miranda collected the first yellow card of the match after leaving his foot in on Miller then Young in the space of a few minutes.

Young and Nicholson combined well in the 36th minute before the ball was cleared for a throw in. As the ball came back into the box Derek Young headed wide of the target. A minute later Young and Miller combined well before the striker sliced the ball wildly. Foster had an effort at goal two minutes from the break but once again it failed to cause any concern to Smith in the home goal. The two Aberdeen Smith's combined well in the last minute but Dan's cross was easily picked off by the Saints Smith as the match petered out towards half time.

It looked ominous for the second half when Jamie Smith found himself in space in the opening minute but failed to get the ball past the first defender. The match continued to be littered with mistakes as both sides continually lost possession cheaply. Dan Smith won the first corner of the half in the 51st minute but they failed to threaten the Saints goal. A minute later Jamie Smith put Foster in trouble and only the full back's pace saved the day as Burke looked to capitalise. Three minutes later St. Mirren won a corner but the ball was scrambled clear by Aberdeen.

Seconds later the Dons defence was at sixes and sevens as a Miranda shot threatened Langfield's goal before Maxwell delicately chipped the ball over the bar. Aberdeen then swept forward and should have won a free kick when Burke handled, but referee McCurry looked disinterested. Seconds later Miller tried an ambitious effort that went well wide. A free kick on the hour mark offered the home side an opportunity and Miranda headed wide as Burkes delivery was whipped in with pace. Aberdeen then had to soak up a fair bit of pressure before they broke only for Dan Smith to run the ball out tamely.

A free kick by Severin in the 65th minute was played short to Foster but once again the ball failed to get past the first defender. Jimmy made a double substitution two minutes later as Lovell and Aluko replaced Young and Dan Smith. Aluko made an immediate impact with a great run and cross before he was blatantly taken out of the game only for Mr. McCurry to give the young Englishman a ticking off much to the puzzlement of everyone inside the ground. Foster then forced a corner in the 70th minute and put the home side under severe pressure until Lee Miller was brought down only for the official to allow St. Mirren to break.

A Clark shot was blocked in the 73rd minute and four minutes later McGinn was just a bit too heavy with a through ball and Langfield gathered easily. Nicholson and Lovell then broke quickly but Potter did well to block the cross from the Englishman. Ten minutes from time Mehmet committed his umpteenth foul as he tripped Miller but once again the free kick was wasted and Chris Smith was not tested. Seconds later Smith did have to make a save as Miller steered an Aluko cross towards goal. Aluko was causing all sorts of problems and in the 84th minute he cut the ball back to Lovell and Smith made a fine save as he turned the ball round his post.

From the resultant corner Smith made a save from Mair before Reid made a howler when he gifted the ball to Lovell as he tried to steer the ball back to his keeper. The striker went one-on-one with Smith and fired the Dons ahead. St. Mirren went looking for an equaliser and won a corner that was defended well by Aberdeen. Aluko then caused problems at the other end but his final cross was just too deep to punish the home side. In the final minute Aberdeen had a bit of defending to do before Potter fired the ball well over. A minute later Aberdeen allowed St. Mirren to come forward again and this time Reid fired wide.