Kilmarnock 1-1 Aberdeen: Vernon full of praise for Masson

Rory Fallon praised Aberdeen team-mate Jamie Masson after his goal secured a draw at Kilmarnock.

Masson, one of five Pittodrie youngsters in the visiting squad, opened the scoring on the half-hour in what was only his second start for the first team.

Dons striker Fallon said: “Jamie’s a good player – he wasn’t fazed about playing against seniors, and it’s just good to see young players like that come through. I’ve always liked him and Ryan Jack, who’s somebody who’ll get at players; he’s not scared to take people on and he gets crosses in.

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“At the start of the season, a couple of young lads were unbelievable in training and I thought they could train with us, because they’re pretty good players.

“There’s a really good crop coming through and we just feel there’s something happening there; we just have to get a winning mentality to grind out results.

“We’re disappointed that we didn’t get the win and finish Kilmarnock off, but it was a lot better than the past two games which we all knew as a team hadn’t been good enough.

“The good thing was that the gaffer said just to go out and enjoy it – sometimes everyone’s a bit on edge because we want to do so well that the flowing football doesn’t happen. We just went out to play and enjoy it, and we played some really good stuff at times and made more chances than in the past couple of games. We want to play that kind of football as we have a lot of players who’re really talented with the ball.”

Masson’s opening goal – he fired home at the left-hand post after Fallon and Scott Vernon had failed to convert a Josh Magennis cross – was cancelled out early in the second half when Dean Shiels stroked the ball past Jamie Langfield for his 15th goal of the season.

Kilmarnock manager Kenny Shiels reflected on an impressive campaign for the Rugby Park club, who won the Scottish Communities League Cup and remain in pole position to secure seventh place in the SPL table.

Shiels said: “It’s been a really good season for the club and there have been so many records broken, which is great.

“It’s the first time we’ve ever won the League Cup, our first trophy as an SPL club, the first time in 55 years we’ve beaten Celtic in Glasgow, the first time as an SPL club that we’ve done the double over Rangers, 15 clean sheets, and there are a few more.

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“What we’ve achieved this season has been acknowledged in some quarters and in others it hasn’t, but the players have acknowledged it with one of my players being nominated for the PFA award, which was fantastic.

“Fifteen goals from midfield this season is quite remarkable for a club of our size – it’s a fantastic achievement.

“We set out at the start of the season and I’m delighted with the way the boys have responded. We’ve got over the line now and can be no worse than eighth.”