Dundee 0 - 0 Aberdeen
HT Score: Dundee 0 - 0 Aberdeen
15/07/2008 | KO: 19:45
Goalless at Dens
The second game in Aberdeen's pre season schedule kicked off tonight at Dens Park, as Dundee entertained a Dons team much changed from Saturday's encounter with Man Utd.
Jamie Langfield held on to the no 1 jersey on his old stamping ground, with Severin and Considine pairing up in the centre of defence. Stuart Smith was handed his first start at left back after impressing as a second half substitute on Saturday, while Lee Mair moved in at right back. New signings Mark Kerr and Gary McDonald maintained their partnership in the heart of midfield, while Derek Young and Stuart Duff took over from Jamie Smith and Jeffrey de Visscher respectively. Up front, Chris Maguire and Lee Miller renewed a partnership which was beginning to bare fruit towards the end of the previous season.
Aberdeen held the upper hand in the opening stages, with the partnership of Maguire and Miller causing some serious problems for the Dundee defence. A break away move from the Dons after a couple of minutes allowed Miller and Maguire to pair up smartly before the latter spread the ball out to Stuart Duff on the left wing. A floated cross by Duff was met by Lee Miller who only managed to nod the ball onto the post from 12 yards.
The Reds threatened once more as Chris Maguire won a free kick on half way which was in turn taken quickly by Stuart Duff. Derek Young received the ball on the right hand side and the winger delivered a teasing cross which almost caught Dundee 'keeper Ludovic Roy out, before floating harmlessly over the back post.
In a rare Dundee attack, Mickael Antoine-Curier produced a curling shot from 20 yards which tested Langfield to the extremes, but the Dons no1 was more than a match as he tipped the shot around the post. Minutes later Aberdeen were back on the attack and a snap shot from Mark Kerr was on target but easily held by Roy in the Dundee goals.
As the game wore on the hosts grew in confidence, and began to put the Dons under significant pressure.
A long ball forward was enough to fool the Aberdeen defence and Curier was again given a chance to have a shot on goal, but his effort could only find the side netting. Curier, who was arguably the best player in the first half was at the centre of another impressive Dundee move. A flick on by the centre forward allowed Eric Paton to cross the ball in, but the Aberdeen defence dealt with the ball easily.
With 35 minutes gone Mark Kerr latched onto a loose ball 25 yards out before beating a Dundee defender and attempting a half volley. The strike was always heading over the bar, but was a reasonable effort nonetheless.
Second Half
An unchanged Aberdeen side took to the field for the beginning of the second half, as they looked to take control of the tie.
Minutes into the half, Aberdeen had a penalty claim turned down by referee Stephen Finnie as Maguire went tumbling under a challenge from Dundee's Gary Mckenzie. In all fairness it would have been a soft one, but Aberdeen could feel aggrieved that they were not awarded a corner kick.
Dundee came close to taking the lead after 50 minutes as a Malone cross was met by Colin Mcmenamin and his shot fired inches past Langfield's far post. Moments later it was Aberdeen's turn to attack, and a swift move instigated by Lee Mair allowed Chris Maguire to fire a cross across goal which forced a hurried clearance from Gary Mckenzie.
The final ball seemed to be letting the Dons down as they enjoyed the lion's share of possession but were unable to penetrate the Dundee back four.
With just over an hour gone, Jimmy Calderwood made the first changes of the match. Jamie Smith and Ricky Foster were brought on to replace skipper Scott Severin, and Stuart Smith who could certainly be pleased with his contribution to the game.
A controversially awarded corner kick was floated in by Maguire on 65 minutes, but Lee Mair could only head the ball harmlessly over the bar. From the resulting goal kick, Aberdeen came back on the attack and some trickery from substitute Jamie Smith allowed Chris Maguire to get onto the ball 20 yards out, but his left footed strike was tame and never troubling Roy. Substitutes Smith and Foster combined well down the left hand side with a well worked one-two, but Foster's eventual strike was blocked by David Cowan.
Next to make appearances for the Dons were Darren Mackie and Sammy Stewart, who took to the field on 73 and 81 minutes respectively. They replaced Chris Maguire and Gary Mcdonald.
The latter stages of the match offered little in the way of chances, but one did finally arrive on 87 minutes as A free kick was curled in by Jamie Smith and met by the head of Lee Miller. The ball flashed across goal, but possibly a lack of match sharpness meant that no Dons shirt was there to sweep the ball home.
The final whistle was met with what can only be described as relief by the two sets of fans at Dens Park. No doubt a useful exercise, but not one which was action packed.
Next stop Peterhead for Jimmy's men as the countdown to the new season intensifies. There were certainly positives to take out of tonight's encounter and the Dons will be looking to start the new campaign as they finished the previous one.
Roy, Cowan, Malone (Forsyth 82), McHale, McKenzie, Trialist (Trialist 64), Paton, Mearns (O'Brien 68), McMenamin (Davidson 72), Antoine-Curier (Deasley 78), Gilhaney (Daquin 78). Unused Subs: Douglas.
Referee: Stephen Finnie
Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen AB24 5QH