Aberdeen 0 - 0 St Johnstone: Drawing on changed sides

This might seem a dispiriting result at the start of the season, but in the second half at least there was much to like about the play of both sides.

It was one of those goalless draws where at least we saw some football, despite the efforts of Mother Nature to spoil things with a swirling gale.

St Johnstone failed to take advantage of being a man up in the final quarter after Ross Jack's dismissal and indeed had to rely on Peter Enckelman making a couple of saves later on, so Aberdeen can claim the moral victory.

That sort of win does not earn you any points, though Aberdeen manager Craig Brown was adamant: "We just about shaded it and deserved to win. Even with a man short we made more chances."

For his part, St Johnstone manager Derek McInnes was "a bit disappointed" not to get three points but felt that "a draw was fair overall."

Two much-changed sides emerged to start the season. For Aberdeen there was no Chris Maguire, Zander Diamond, Derek Young or Sone Aluko, all of whom were summer departures, while Jamie Langfield is still out ill. In came new goalkeeper David Gonzalez on loan from Manchester City, and competitive starts were also given to Youl Mawene and Isaac Osborne - both impressed - while Icelandic international Kari Arnason and Jason Brown began their SPL careers on the bench.

St Johnstone, who shed a team and a bit over the summer, gave starts to newcomers Calum Davidson, David Robertson, Frazer Wright, and their very latest signing, ex-Celt Cillian Sheridan.

Their unfamiliarity with each other was the charitable explanation as to why the players spent much of the first half unable to find colleagues with passes. There was also a surfeit of aimless running and just not enough chances to make the initial 45 minutes anything other than dull.

You could say there was no quality to the entertainment, but that would be to ignore the obvious effort of both sides to at least attempt some attacking football.

Aberdeen had the better of possession but precious little to show for it as they stuttered in the final third where Saints were, as ever, well organised.

For their own part, Andrew Considine and Youl Mawene looked to be creating a good partnership in central defence. Alongside them new captain Ricky Foster seemed born for his role.

It should be said that Brown was delighted that Foster, whose time at Rangers meant he had been subjected to intolerant comments by some obnoxious types in the Aberdeen support, was given full backing yesterday.

"I have had lots of messages of support and the fans will see my commitment in the weeks to come," said Foster himself.It was Foster, indeed, who had the best of the first-half chances. His 30-yard free kick after 10 minutes went just past, and two minutes later the St Johnstone goalkeeper Peter Enckelman was alert to divert wide another Foster effort from 25 yards in broken play.

Fraser Fyvie prompted well in midfield, but the home strikers got no change out of the visitors' defence. Loan signing Cillian Sheridan almost snatched one late in the half, but Gonzalez saved well.

The second half was much better with some good open play as passes began to find their mark.

Marcus Haber came on for his first game in place of Liam Craig and his presence troubled Aberdeen, before the home side laid siege to Enckelman's goal.

The big Finn looked uncomfortable in the wind, and was saved by Murray Davidson blasting the ball off the line when he lost track of it. The goalkeeper also nearly let slip a Foster free kick from the other half of the field, and Fyvie's superb cross to the back of the goal evaded him only to come back off the post, but in fairness Enckelman also made two excellent saves.

Ross Jack's foul on Murray Davidson in 65 minutes was a deserved red card - "I protested but when I saw the television replay I went and apologised to referee Steven Conroy as he got it right" said Brown - but it did not change the match pattern too much.

Substitute Josh Magennis could have won it, but shot wide, and in truth a draw was just about right between two well-matched competitive teams.

Aberdeen: Gonzalez, Jack, Mawene, Considine, Foster, Fyvie, Osbourne, Milsom, Pawlett (68), Vernon (75), Mackie. Subs used: Arnason (68), Magennis (75).

St Johnstone: Enckelman, MacKay, Anderson, Wright, C Davidson, Millar, Robertson (76), Morris, M Davidson, Craig (46), Sheridan (76). Subs used: Moon (76), Haber (46), May (76).

Man of the match: Fraser Fyvie (Aberdeen). The most creative player, and he came closest to scoring.

Talking point: David Gonzalez's pony tail. What strength kirby grips does he use?

Referee: S Conroy.

Attendance: 10,001