Inverurie Loco Works 0 - 2 Aberdeen

Zander Diamond, who was hoping to show his fitness ahead of Saturday SPL opener against Inverness CT, was partnered in central defence with Jonathan Crawford. Scott Ross was at right back and Stuart Smith at left. In midfield Peter Pawlett played wide right, Mark Kerr and Sammy Stewart in the centre with Stuart Duff on the left. Derek Young and Michael Paton played up front.

The first chance fell to the home side. On 5 minutes Kerr lost the ball and Craig Ross, whose testimonial it was, drove towards goal and shot from 25 yards but his effort went wide.

Paton was looking good in the early stages. He linked up well with Pawlett and Ross down the right. After 12 minutes Pawlett put in a good cross. It went over Young who retrieved the ball. He went down but got back up and laid it off to Kerr who tried a cheeky chip but the keeper saved comfortably.

The Dons continued to look the better side and took a deserved lead on 17 minutes. After a good passing move Stuart Smith drove forward. He found Paton 12 yards and he finished well.

They were unlucky not to make it 2-0 on 25 minutes. Another Pawlett cross was just out of reach of Young. The Dons continued to control the game and were restricting Inverurie to shots from long distance. On the half hour mark Pawlett missed a good chance when he had a free header inside the box but he put the ball wide.

Mark Smith and Neil Gauld were Inverurie's most impressive players. Gauld was unlucky when he fired just wide of the keepers post after Crawford had misjudged a through ball. Just on the stroke of half time Stuart Duff, another one hoping to prove his fitness to watching manager Jimmy Calderwood, forced the home keeper into a fine save.

At half time Gary Carroll replaced Pawlett.

Aberdeen continued in the second half as they had finished the first. Kerr and Stewart were now in control of the midfield and dictating things. 55 minutes, Carroll beat the offside trap and had time but put a poor ball into the box. The ball came back out to him and he set up Stewart. He was unlucky as his goal bound shot deflected off a defender for a corner.

Just before the hour mark both teams started making numerous substitutions which affected the flow of the game and really slowed it down. Zander Diamond who had a comfortable evening was replaced by Gallacher. Zander did enough to suggest he could start on Saturday.

The Dons did eventually get a second goal on 79 minutes. From a corner the keeper could only punch the ball as far as Stewart who coolly flicked the ball home over everyone for an impressive finish.

In the final minute Craig Ross left the field to a standing ovation.