Aberdeen 1 - 0 Dunfermline: Scott Vernon on target as Dons move into top six

‘KEEP Arnie And Kari On.’ For weeks the banner has covered 15 rows of seats in the Dick Donald stand as the Aberdeen fans beg their Icelandic hero to stick around.

However, with Kari Arnason set to leave Aberdeen, with rumours that they are refusing to bow to his wage demands of £5,000-a-week, it’s time for Aberdeen to move on.

Arnason played from the start but was almost anonymous as a Scott Vernon strike earned Aberdeen a crucial win and a place in the top six.

With or without him, Aberdeen are already looking to the future and have bolstered their squad significantly by signing Mark Reynolds, Stephen Hughes and Russell Anderson, with that trio to be joined tomorrow by Gavin Rae.

Suddenly Aberdeen, who have gone from bottom spot to sixth in less than two months, may not need Arnie back to succeed.

“I feel vindicated by our league position now,” said Aberdeen boss Craig Brown. “I said a few weeks ago that we were in a false position and would climb the table.

“At the time a few eyes rolled and the cynics suggested we’d stay down there but I feel we can keep going forward. We have strengthened but Gavin Rae is not yet an Aberdeen player. We only got permission to speak to him on Friday and would like to have him here but will have to see how it develops.

“I’m pleased that a few of our players have committed to contracts.

“The one player that hasn’t is Kari and if, as it appears, he moves on I’m sure he will be fully committed to us on the park until the summer.”

Goal hero Vernon added: “I know Kari well and he’s a very good guy. If he is moving on then it won’t show in his performances.

“He will be professional and will continue to turn out confident displays to help the team.”

Dunfermline looked the brightest early on and they could have taken the lead on two minutes.

Paddy Boyle stepped off his marker on the edge of the penalty box to meet a Paul Willis corner but his header was comfortably held by Jason Brown.

At the other end, Alex Keddie had to be alert to block a low Josh Magennis strike on the line.

Iain Turner then proved the hero for Dunfermline, on six minutes, stretching his left arm out to turn around a low Fraser Fyvie strike.

It was turning into an open, end-to-end affair, and Dunfermline missed a gilt-edged effort to take the lead on 12 minutes.

Boyle’s deep cross found Liam Buchanan in acres of space in the six-yard box. However, he snatched at a header and Brown made an easy save.

Magennis then screwed a low effort wide before Andy Dowie had a strike blocked by Brown.

Aberdeen then took command of the game, with Fyvie excelling in the heart of midfield.

The promising youngster curled in an inch-perfect cross on 20 minutes, only for Reynolds to head over.

Reynolds quickly got over that miss to set up the opener.

His long, hopeful cross appeared to offer little danger to the Pars but Vernon met it to loop a header over the advancing Turner and into the net.

It was all Aberdeen at this point and Chris Clark so nearly doubled his side’s advantage before half-time, albeit with the aid of a huge deflection.

His 18-yard screamer cannoned off Boyle to leave Turner wrong-footed but the former Everton star blocked an effort with his legs.

Aberdeen took the game to the Fifers after the break and had a decent shout for a penalty waved away with claims a Ryan Jack cross had been handled by Kevin Rutkiewicz. Pars were then almost handed a lifeline back into the game after some poor goalkeeping from Brown.

He flapped at a Willis cross giving Rutkiewicz the chance to fire in at the back post. The Pars centre-half failed to connect and Brown escaped with merely conceding a corner.

The visitors then had one final chance to snatch a draw as Joe Cardle broke free and stabbed the ball past Brown but Rory McArdle provided superb cover to block and clear.

That miss was to prove critical to Dunfermline but manager Jim McIntyre refused to blame Cardle or keeper Turner for failing to help the team clinch the win.

“The mistake for the goal was there for everyone to see,” admitted McIntyre. “But I can’t fault our performance at all.

“We played well and were the better side. The only thing missing was a cutting edge. We had the best chance to score early on and didn’t put it away.”