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St Mirren logo
Scottish Premiership
Sep 30, 2013 at 7.45pm UK
 
Aberdeen logo

1-1

Thompson (55')
FT(HT: 0-0)
Pawlett (85')

Live Commentary: St Mirren 1-1 Aberdeen - as it happened

Relive Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Scottish Premiership clash between St Mirren and Aberdeen.
2

St Mirren played host to Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership this evening looking for their first league victory of the season.

Both sides struggled to create anything in the final third during the first half, but it was a more open contest after the break.

The Buddies took the lead early in the second period through Steven Thompson, only for Peter Pawlett to cancel out his strike with five minutes remaining.

Find out how all of the action unfolded with our minute-by-minute text commentary below.


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Good evening and welcome to out live coverage of the Scottish Premiership clash between St Mirren and Aberdeen in Paisley. There's still 20 minutes to go until kickoff, but we'll have team news and build-up for you until then.

Team news incoming...

ST MIRREN XI: Dilo, McGregor, Goodwin, McGowan, Thompson, Newton, van Zanten, McGinn, Mair, McLean, Kelly

ABERDEEN XI: Langfield, Shaughnessy, Hector, Reynolds, Considine, Pawlett, Smith, Jack, Hayes, Zola, Vernon

Aberdeen go into the match as one of Scotland's form teams, winning their last three in all competitions and unbeaten in five. They go into the match in fourth place in the league table.

The Buddies' fortunes are in stark contrast to today's opponents. They have struggled so far this season, picking up just one point from their six games played. They go into the game second from bottom, only avoiding the basement because Hearts were docked points following their financial woes.

St Mirren boss Danny Lennon has come under fire of late, despite winning the League Cup with the club last season. I guess expectations around here are higher than ever before.

You have to feel for the man. He's even guided the club to it's highest ever top flight finish, yet still there have been calls for his head.

Aberdeen will certainly fancy their chances going into this one. A quick glance at the form guide suggests they are the favourites this evening. They have been playing confident football, with a real togetherness about the squad.

PREDICTION: I don't mean to put a dampener on things, but three out of the last four meetings between these sides have finished 0-0. Having said that, I think Aberdeen will nick this given their recent good form. I'm going with 1-0 to the visitors.

A couple of pre-match quotes from both sides coming up...

ABERDEEN'S MARK REYNOLDS: "We have been playing well in games but not been taking our chances. Everything is now starting to come together, everyone is starting to bond. As a defender I am pleased we are keeping clean sheets. Teams are struggling to score against us. The fact we have kept five clean sheets in a row means we are getting some recognition for this and it is a talking point. It is great that we have had that level of consistency and teams are finding it hard to score against us."

And St Mirren goalkeeper Chris Dilo has spoken in defence of manager Danny Lennon ahead of the game...

"He is a really good manager, so I hope the players can get a result for him and turn things around. He is the one who brought me here and who is trusting me right now."

Thanks to BBC Sport for that latter quote.

Plenty of incentive for the local lads to perform well tonight. Scotland boss Gordon Strachan is watching this one, sat in the stand alongside former Aberdeen manager Craig Brown.

KICKOFF: Aberdeen get the match under way, kicking from left to right in this first half. They win a corner inside the first minute. Hayes whips in a cross that causes a scramble in the Buddies box, but the danger is eventually cleared.

McGowan chases down a long backpass towards Aberdeen keeper Langfield, but the Dons stopper gets their first. Vernon blasts a speculative effort well over the bar at the other end moments later.

Great determination from Thompson, who chases a lost cause to the bitter end, but it results only in an Aberdeen goalkick. Smith does well to give his marker the slip at the other end, but his low pass across the face of goal is smothered by Dilo in between the Budddies sticks.

Not much to report on these last few minutes. Both sides are battling to hold the ball in the centre of the park, playing scrappy football in the process.

Calvin Zola shows off his physical presence, shrugging off two challenges before running the ball out for a goalkick. He doesn't agree with the referee's decision there judging by the look on his face, but it didn't look like a corner to me.

Great tackle from Smith on McGowan prevents St Mirren from hitting the Dons on the break. He timed it well, helping the ball back towards Langfield, who hoists it upfield.

Good passing and movement from the Buddies in the middle of the park. The ball ends up with Van Zanten over on the right, but he balloons his cross out for a goalkick. Hasty from the Irishman!

Half-chance for the Dons as Vernon gets his head to a nod-on from Shaughnessy. He doesn't get much on it and Dilo makes an easy catch.

Unconvincing clearance from Langfield gifts possess back to St Mirren in their own half. They bear down on goal but the move grinds to a halt when Goodwin shoots from range and the Dons keeper easily claims.

Dilo takes a risk, rushing out of his area and heading the ball clear. He does well to beat the on-rushing Vernon to it, but Aberdeen regain possession until Zola puts it out for a goalkick.

Both sides have played good passing football, yet neither have created a clear-cut goalscoring opportunity so far. Are we in for yet another 0-0 between these two sides?

Smith plays a lofted pass over the top towards Zola, but the striker drifts into an offside possession. Once again he makes it known that he is not happy with the official's decision.

SHOT! St Mirren claim the best chance of the match so far as McGinn runs at the Aberdeen defence and lets fly from the edge of the box. Langfield gets down to his left and makes the save.

CHANCE! Hayes puts a cross into the Buddies' box and Zola goes for the actrobatics. He makes contact with the ball but is penalised for a foul. St Mirren's McGinn is booked for a foul moments later.

Reynolds goes on a driving run into the St Mirren half, but gives the ball away to McGinn. Aberdeen soon reclaim possession and win a corner through Zola, which is squandered.

Half-chance for Aberdeen as Reynolds nods on for Zola in the St Mirren box. The ball bounces off the striker's chest and rebounds into no man's land.

It hasn't been the greatest of games for the neutrals, with neither side managing to create much upfront. However, there is a bit of fire to this encounter. Neither side is pulling any punches when it comes to challenges. I expect there will be a few more yellows cards to come tonight.

BOOKING: There we go, Zola his booked for a push on Mair. He looks incredulous, but that yellow card has been coming. He has been looking for trouble all night. I can see Derek McGinnis dragging him off soon enough.

HALF TIME: St Mirren 0-0 Aberdeen

It's goalless here at St Mirren Park and neither side has side the world alight. Although both sides look committed, each has been guilty of resorting to route-one football, which has been largely futile.

Changes are likely sooner rather than later, with players on both sides having received yellow cards. Calvin Zola looks hotheaded, and could be replaced by the fit-again Niall McGinn.

St Mirren also have attacking options on the bench in the shape of loan striker Stephane Bahoken. It's been a solid defensive display from them, but they have looked toothless upfront.

No other games in the Scottish Premiership tonight, but there is action south of the border. Everton lead Newcastle United 3-0 at Goodison Park, where Romelu Lukaku has bagged a brace on his home debut. You can follow that one live here.

KICKOFF: The second half is under way. Aberdeen made a change at the break, brining on Low in place of Vernon. Not the substitution I was expecting.

St Mirren win an early free kick just inside the visitors' half. McLean plays it long into the box, but Langfield snatches it out of the air.

McGowan does well to shrug off a challenge from Hector and maintain possession. Good build-up play from the hosts, but they fail to keep hold of the ball and Aberdeen deal with the threat.

Shaughnessy tires to find Zola in the box with a cross, but instead finds finds Jack, who misses the target.

GOAL! St Mirren 1-0 Aberdeen (Thompson)

Steven Thompson gives the hosts the lead with a close-range finish, bundling the ball past Jamie Langfield after Paul McGowan demonstrates great vision to pick him out with a pinpoint pass.

Aberdeen squander an opportunity to hit back immediately as Pawlett bears down on goal, but he overruns it and is quickly closed down. Goalkick to St Mirren.

A good spell of pressure from Aberdeen here with Hayes playing a couple of crosses into the box is quick succession. St Mirren really under the cosh as the Dons are awarded a free kick.

GREAT SAVE! Hayes goes for goal directly from the free kick, curling in a shot from 25 yards out. Dilo keeps it out to his left at full stretch. Great goalkeeping from him!

It's been a more open second half at St Mirren Park and that goal from Thompson will force Aberdeen to attack more. The Dons make another change, throwing on Magennis in place of the free-fouling Zola.

Half-chance for St Mirren as McGowan's cutback allows Newton a shooting opportunity from the edge of the area, but he puts his effort into the stand. More hasty attacking from the Buddies.

Aberdeen have been wasteful with their passing in this second half and Derek McGinnis is facing his first defeat to St Mirren as a manager. The hosts thoroughly deserve their lead based on their second-half display.

SUBSTITUTION: St Mirren bring on striker Bahoken in place of McGinn and resort to a 4-4-2 formation. Magennis heads over for Aberdeen following a free kick moments earlier.

CHANCE! Newton lines up McLean for a shot from the edge of the box. It whistles past Langfield's left post. The chance was born of a defensive lapse from the Dons and will go down as a let-off for them.

SUBSTITUTION: McGinn replaces Smith for Aberdeen. Will he be the man to get them back into this game?

Jack collides with Newton in mid-air and gives away a free kick close to the St Mirren box. The Buddies hoist the ball upfield but the Dons reclaim possession and go on the break.

St Mirren are 10 minutes away from their first victory of the new league campaign, and they deserve it. They were solid at the back in the first period, and have shown more urgency than their opponents upfront in this second half.

OFF THE POST! Frustratingly close for Aberdeen as a defensive lapse from the hosts puts McGinn through on goal. He does everything right, but his finish comes back off the post!

GOAL! St Mirren 1-1 Aberdeen (Pawlett)

The Dons snatch an equaliser after an in-swinging corner causes havoc in the St Mirren box. There's a spot of head tennis in the area before Peter Pawlett lets fly on the half-volley and finds the back of the net!

Aberdeen win a later corner through Hayes and the visiting support find their voices. Hayes takes it himself but puts too much on it, allowing the Buddies back line to scramble it away.

SUBSTITUTION: St Mirren throw on Teale for the dying stages in place of their goalscorer Thompson.

CHANCE! McGinn is put through on goal in the final minute, but he loses his cool in the one-on-one situation and can't keep his shot down. That's two golden opportunities he's blown for the Dons, but his positioning and pace have been first-rate.

There will be three minutes of stoppage time to play.

FULL TIME: St Mirren 1-1 Aberdeen

There goes the final whistle and it ends 1-1 here. A point keeps Aberdeen in fourth place and I think they will be happier with that result after going a goal down. St Mirren are still languishing in second-bottom.

That all we've got time for tonight, so I'll leave you with our match report and see you next time. Stick around on Sports Mole for match analysis and reaction from the game.

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