Saints 0-1 Aberdeen

The only goal of the game came on 56 minutes as on-loan Liverpool midfielder Leighton Clarkson curled an exquisite free kick into the top corner of the net to seal the points for the visitors.

Following today’s result Saints drop to tenth place in the league ahead of Dundee United and Kilmarnock.

Saints are back in action next Sunday when they travel to Edinburgh to take on Hearts at Tynecastle Park, kick off 3pm.

MATCH REPORT

Aberdeen were the visitors to McDiarmid Park this afternoon as Saints looked to bounce back from last weekend’s 4-0 defeat to Rangers. There were two changes to the Saints team that started at Ibrox as Callum Davidson brought in James Brown and Daniel Phillips, who was making his first start for the club. They replaced Adam Montgomery and the injured Cammy MacPherson. Aberdeen lost 3-2 to Motherwell at Pittodrie last Saturday and manager Jim Goodwin made one change as Hayden Coulson came in to replace Matty Kennedy.

The start of the match was delayed by 15 minutes due to a medical emergency in the crowd and after a short warm up Bojan Miovski got the match underway for the visitors.

Saints started the match brightly and on 2 minutes Jamie Murphy’s low cross from the left broke to Melker Hallberg just outside the box and the Swedish midfielder took a touch before unleashing his shot which was blocked.

Aberdeen created chances for themselves in the opening exchanges and The Dons thought they had taken the lead on 10 minutes as a Bojan Miovski latched onto a through ball from Jonny Hayes before converting it past Remi Matthews but the header from the Macedonian was ruled out for offside.

PHOTO: Melker Hallberg's shot is blocked

The first booking of the game came on 19 minutes as Andy Considine was shown a yellow card for a foul on Vicente Besuijen.

Saints got a sight of goal on 26 minutes as following a corner Ryan McGowan cut the ball back to Daniel Phillips and the midfielder broke into the box before seeing his low strike gathered by Kelle Roos in the Aberdeen goal. Then a minute later good play by Saints saw Murphy try to pick out Theo Bair in the box however, the Canadian couldn’t make a clean connection with the ball as The Dons cleared the danger.

On 38 minutes Saints were awarded a free kick out wide on the right following a foul on Graham Carey by Hayden Coulson. Carey took the free kick himself and he whipped a dangerous ball into the box which Roos did well to turn over for a corner.

PHOTO: Drey Wright holds off Hayden Coulson

The first chance of the second half came for the visitors on 53 minutes as Besuijen’s ball forward was received by Leighton Clarkson on the edge of the area and he then cut inside before seeing his strike from 20 yards go inches wide of Matthews’ right-hand post.

However, 3 minutes later Aberdeen found the breakthrough. The Dons were awarded a free kick after Hayes had been fouled by Carey. Clarkson took the free kick and the on-loan Liverpool midfielder curled a fine effort from 30 yards into the top corner of the net.

Aberdeen now had their tails up as they looked to doubled their lead. On the hour mark Ross McCrorie saw his driving effort was tipped over for a corner by Matthews. Then shortly after McCrorie got another sight of goal but his shot went narrowly wide.

PHOTO: Leighton Clarkson scores the only goal of the game

Saints made a triple change on 62 minutes as Callum Davidson freshened things up. Murray Davidson, Max Kucheriavyi and Stevie May all came on to replace Daniel Phillips, Graham Carey and Theo Bair.

The visitors continued to create chances and on 66 minutes Hayes crossed the ball to Miovski but Matthews was alert to the danger as he made a good save to turned the ball over for a corner.

On 71 minutes Kucheriavyi got on the end of a Davidson ball into the box however, the header from the Ukrainian went narrowly wide.

With 7 minutes remaining Murphy went on a mazy solo run past a couple of Dons defenders and into the Aberdeen box but Roos got down sharply and made a strong save with his left hand before James Brown headed wide with the follow-up effort.

PHOTO: Jamie Murphy's shot is saved

Saints made another change on 84 minutes as Michael O’Halloran was introduced into the action, replacing Ryan McGowan.

However, Aberdeen would go on and finish the match strongly as in the final minute of the match substitute Dante Polvara played in fellow substitute Shayden Morris but the former Fleetwood Town forward saw his effort go narrowly wide.

Then in added on time Morris got another sight of goal as he was played in by Duk however Matthews got down well to make a smart save to prevent The Dons from doubling their lead.  

Saints: Matthews, Wright, McGowan (O’Halloran 84), Mitchell, Considine, Brown, Phillips (Davidson 62), Hallberg, Carey (Kucheriavyi 62), Murphy, Bair (May 62)

Unused Substitutes: Parish (GK), Gordon, Mahon, Crawford, Ballantyne

Booked: Considine, Hallberg, Phillips, Carey, Brown

Aberdeen: Roos, Richardson, Stewart, Scales, Coulson, Ramadani, McCrorie, Besuijen (Morris 71), Clarkson (Duk 76), Hayes, Miovski (Polvara 87)

Unused Substitutes: Lewis (GK), MacKenzie, Watkins, Duncan, Milne, Ramírez

Booked: None

Scorer: Clarkson (56)

Referee: Craig Napier

Attendance: 5,871

Match Report by Daryl Scott

Picture: Daniel Phillips gets away from Ylber Ramadani