Scottish Cup: Aberdeen 1 - 1 Queen of the South: Dons earn replay thanks to scrambled equaliser

By PAUL FORSYTH
Published on Sunday 5 February 2012 00:00

SEASONS change, as do the players, and even their manager, but Aberdeen can always be relied upon to make a meal of knockout competition.

As if a semi-final defeat by Queen of the South was not enough four years ago, they very nearly went out to the same side in yesterday’s William Hill Scottish Cup fifth-round tie.

Just when it looked as though Craig Brown, their manager, had brought an end to their travails against lower-division opponents, Aberdeen’s bad habits have resurfaced. First it was East Fife, who won on penalties in a Scottish Communities League Cup tie at Pittodrie earlier this season. Now it is Queen of the South, who were denied only by a scrambled equaliser from Scott Vernon.

One thing’s for sure: Aberdeen will not be looking forward to the replay at Palmerston on Tuesday week. They had large swathes of possession here, and created almost all of the chances, but Queen of the South, who are second-bottom of the Irn-Bru First Division, defended with discipline and courage throughout.

Andy Millen, their assistant manager, was just glad that his team had not let themselves down, as they did in September, when Kilmarnock put five goals past them. “We understand that sometimes you only get one chance,” he said. “But we have to make sure that we continue the run we are on just now. We are now five undefeated, and the league is the most important thing. The cup game will take care of itself. The directors will be very happy. And I’m sure the fans will be out to make it a good atmosphere.”

Brown compared Queen of the South’s tactics to those of Ayr United against Kilmarnock last weekend, although he was quick to stress that it was not a criticism of their manager, Gus MacPherson. “The way they played was the way to play,” said Brown. “They wanted to get a breakaway goal, which they did. It is very difficult to play against a team who are camped on the edge of their own penalty box.

“We are still in the cup, and that is the one plus from today. Hopefully, we will still be in it after the replay. It will be very difficult in Dumfries, but in front of their own fans they will have to come out and play more adventurous football. I don’t think their home fans would be too pleased if they camped in again.”

Expertly marshalled by MacPherson on the touchline, Queens restricted their SPL opponents to just one chance in a poor first half. When Ryan Jack carried the ball beyond the full-back, his cutback from the byeline set up Rory Fallon in the box. Leaning back, and a tad off balance, the striker hooked his right-foot effort wide of the post.

There was a shot by Josh Magennis, easily saved, and another by Fraser Fyvie, ballooned over the bar, but apart from that, Aberdeen appeared incapable of harnessing the biting wind that gusted in off the North Sea.

For the first division side, Allan Johnston, the former Hearts and Rangers player, tidied up the scraps in midfield, and Craig Reid repelled any aimless balls into the box, of which there were plenty.

Given the possession enjoyed by the home side, it would be an exaggeration to say that Queens matched their opponents in that opening period, but they kept them at arm’s length, and even managed a chance of their own just before half-time. Dan Carmichael, a young midfielder with a bright future, struck a crisp shot that Jason Brown pawed clear of the back post.

Inevitably, perhaps, Aberdeen upped their game when they emerged for the second half, pinning Queens back on their own-six yard line, but it served only to give their opponents space on the counterattack. The classic sucker-punch came when Tom Brighton burst clear on the right, and squared the ball inside to Scott McLaughlin. The midfielder exchanged passes with Sam Parkin before slipping the ball under the goalkeeper from 12 yards.

A shiver of horror rippled around Pittodrie, as yet another of the team’s cup debacles threatened to unfold, but to their credit, Aberdeen recognised the seriousness of their situation. Chris Higgins nearly sliced a Fyvie shot into his own net, then Rory McArdle’s header crashed off the crossbar, this time after a corner by Fyvie. The equaliser, when it came, was no thing of beauty, but they deserved it. Two or three players had a bite at a loose ball near the front post, but it was Vernon who got the telling touch, stabbing it over the line from close range.

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