Kilmarnock 1 - 1 Aberdeen: McGhee lauds Langfield as Dons extend unbeaten run

Published on Sunday 4 October 2009 23:37

ABERDEEN goalkeeper Jamie Langfield escaped the wrath of disgruntled manager Mark McGhee after their 1-1 draw with Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.

Danny Invincibile's 77th-minute opener was the first goal Langfield had conceded in six games, but Gary McDonald popped up with an equaliser seven minutes later to stretch the Pittodrie side's unbeaten run in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League to six matches, following their opening-day defeat at home to Celtic.

One moment of uncertainty aside – when he lost a first-half aerial challenge to Steven Old which almost led to a goal – Langfield was in fine form.

The former Dundee keeper made several saves which helped his side gain the point, the most important being minutes from the end when he prevented Allan Russell grabbing a late winner.

McGhee was far from happy with his side's performance, perhaps exaggerating his disappointment by claiming he would rather have lost 4-3 than sit through what he had to watch, but, for the most part, he absolved Langfield from his criticism.

The former Pittodrie striker said: "Jamie had one mistake that he got away with, and we know that it is something that he has to cut out. But in general terms, he had some great saves.

"There were a couple which I wasn't sure if they were saves or blocks. I would need to see them again and maybe I am not giving him enough credit. But no doubt about it, Jamie Langfield is a good goalkeeper and he is improving. He improved last year and he was player of the year, but I think he still has a lot of improvement to come."

Langfield was foiled in his bid to equal the SPL record of seven consecutive clean sheets – held by former Dundee team-mate Rab Douglas – but the Dons goalkeeper was happy enough at how Aberdeen have recovered their league form.

He said: "If someone said after we had lost to Celtic that we would lose one goal in the next six league games we would have taken that. But the thing for us is we need to start putting the ball in the net in the other end."

Kilmarnock boss Jim Jefferies left Rugby Park wondering what his side had to do to get their first league win since their opening-day victory over Hamilton.

Once again his side's profligacy in front of goal cost them dearly, never more so than when Conor Sammon missed a glorious chance just after the break when he miskicked in front of goal with only Langfield to beat.

Jefferies thought Invincibile's goal was taking Kilmarnock to victory, but he then watched goalkeeper Mark Brown fumble a Charlie Mulgrew free-kick into the path of former Kilmarnock midfielder McDonald who gratefully slammed the ball into an empty net.

The former Hearts boss took some comfort from the return of Russell for the first time since February after recovering from a cruciate ligament injury. The former Airdrie United striker came on as substitute to set up the opener and only the toe of Langfield prevented a dream winner.

Jefferies said: "Allan Russell has only had 45 minutes in a closed-door game, but I thought he might come up with something.

"He laid on the pass for the goal and then he had a great opportunity and scoring the winner would have been fantastic for him. But in the second half we were up for it, made the chances and on another day it could have been a comfortable win."

MAN OF THE MATCH

Peter Pawlett (Aberdeen)

The young Aberdeen midfielder didn't stop pressing and looked the most gifted player on show.