Dons singing with Mike

Back in 1983, their dashing exploits were accompanied on vinyl by a European Song. Aberdeen may have hit some bum notes in Europe since that zenith, but this tight win over Dunfermline delivers Ebbe Skovdahl’s class of 2002 a little closer to another bite at that continental cherry.

With Livingston emerging from Rugby Park with a point, Aberdeen now assume sole control of third position. All this makes for an intriguing match-up – as early spring SPL fixtures go – next week when the young Dons venture to Almondvale for an encounter Ebbe Skovdahl describes as “vital”. Dunfermline must wait and see if they make this top six folks haver on about, the aspirational target they so narrowly missed out on last year.

The Fifers have not won at Pittodrie for four years and here they were beaten, though not well beaten. As Jimmy Calderwood later said, with managerial counter part Skovdahl agreeing, Dunfermline dominated the second period after Aberdeen had expended much of their energy chasing victory in the first. That was where they won it though, Leon Mike striking with a slice of small fortune and generally impressing in what represented his first full SPL outing.

Skovdahl, who was delighted with the partnership Mike struck up with Darren Mackie, a new M&M attack for Aberdeen, praised the “penetration, pace and elegance” of his team early doors.

Indeed, the match started well. The observer’s attention was also caught with Calderwood despatching one of those retiring formations typical of his Dunfermline side. It requires a bare minimum of four strikers, sometimes five, and placing inordinate trust in Andrius Skerla and Scott Thomson remaining vigilant at the back behind a more orthodox middle band. Curious, cavalier, quite eye-catching. Faced with this refreshing proposition, Skovdahl’s charges needed little encouragement to swarm forward when the chance availed itself.

Take the striking pair of Mackie and Mike, add Robbie Winters and Derek Young on the flanks and, hey presto, bear witness to the home cavalry. After doing their utmost to confuse Dunfermline at a couple of corners, half-a-dozen red shirts trotting back and fore enigmatically in loose formation, Aberdeen forged their lead in the seventh minute.

Mike, the former Manchester City striker on whom Aberdeen spent 50,000, was left celebrating his second goal since his move north. You could say he cleverly swept Winters’ inviting cross into the Dunfermline net but that would be a fair-sized fib. Instead the ball deflected off a defender moving onwards to Mike’s boot from where the half-connection took it slowly past Marco Ruitenbeek and over the line. “To get the goal was lucky,” said Mike clutching his man-of-the match magnum of bubbly. “But they all count and I’ll take it gladly.” He made himself further chances before the game was over.

The Moroccan Hicham Zerouali, transfer-listed this past week by Skovdhal, looks even less likely to be missed. Mike, who professed in the match programme that he had not a clue where Aberdeen was when his switch from Maine Road was first touted, and when he eventually realised its location in the north-east thought this a bit “iffy”, is settling in rather well. While he was further bedding in, club captain Derek Whyte made do with a seat on the bench. The wise old head of the Dons defence may well be on his way this summer after a recent contract offer was turned down. Should he depart, though, Aberdeen are well provided for. Philip McGuire and Russell Anderson, Skovdahl’s favoured pairing, fared very well.

Wearing the armband for Aberdeen again was Darren Young. His was a fair contribution from midfield, demonstrating the best aspects of his growing game. Possessing an impressive range of passes, he also weighed in with a couple of shots and overall he was a busy presence in the middle.

One figure opposing him in black and white was Ian Ferguson, not a Pittodrie favourite. The veteran midfielder was pretty peeved when Calderwood withdrew him early for Gus MacPherson. Ferguson, pacing towards the bench, removed his shirt. As he sat down the item was flung into the ground.

Dunfermline, as one would expect given their formation, created almost as many chances as Aberdeen on a cold afternoon. Striker Senyi N’Diaye, on loan at East End Park from Tranmere, is a big, bustling type but blessed with a light touch. Partnering Stevie Crawford through the centre, the Senegalese was full of running and, at the end of one particular incursion, produced a fizzing shot that forced Peter Kjaer to leap.

The Fifers clambered into the top half of the table for the first time in months when they defeated Kilmarnock last week. With the knowledge that any joy here could help ensure they remain there, their players chased for the duration of this encounter.

The nearest Aberdeen came to snuffing out the visitors’ hopes of a recovery had been not long after Mike’s strike. Mackie flighted his cross from the right side and Winters clattered one off the underside of the bar.

Despite the best efforts of Crawford and Lee Bullen, who both drew the Dons’ Danish goalkeeper into action with direct shots, Aberdeen held on after Skovdahl had shaken things up a bit by bringing on fresh youth in the forms of Chris Clark and Fergus Tiernan.

“We’ve lost a game where if you look at it on balance we should have got something out of it,” said Calderwood.

Aberdeen extracted what matters most to them, three more points. Skovdahl’s season just keeps getting better.