St Johnstone 0-1 Aberdeen: On-the-whistle report as 10-man Saints make Dons fight for narrow victory

The Perth side battled hard after going down to 10 men in the first half - but Aberdeen fought their way though to goal.

By Ewing Grahame

April 1 2023, 5:20pm

Andy Considine was sent off against Aberdeen. Image: SNS

St Johnstone slipped down to ninth place – just four clear of 10th placed Kilmarnock – despite battling bravely against Aberdeen for 87 minutes with ten men.

Both teams started this game as if they had been catapulted at each other, with more action in the first ten minutes than some fans see in entire matches.

Visiting goalkeeper Kelle Roos excelled himself in the second minute when he managed to beat away a low drive from Ryan McGowan and then got up in time to deflect Drey Wright’s effort from the rebound to safety.

One minute later and VAR reared its ugly head once again. Referee Colin Steven awarded the Dons a penalty when Bojan Miovski fell theatrically to the floor after easing past former Aberdeen hero Andy Considine.

Aberdeen’s Bojan Miovski hits the deck, with St Johnstone’s Andy Considine (right) sent off after a VAR check by referee Colin Steven. Image: Paul Devlin/SNS

However, Mr Steven was advised to watch the incident again and, three minutes later, he adjudged that the offence had occurred outside the 18-yard box but flashed a straight red card at the veteran defender.

Even so, Aberdeen were grateful for Roos’ reflexes when he kept out a low drive from Zak Rudden while, at the other end Ylber Ramadani struck the post with a swerving drive and Remi Matthews made a fine one-handed save to claw away Angus MacDonald’s netbound header from Leighton Clarkson’s free-kick.

It was MacDonald who helped break the deadlock on the half-hour with a shot from Jonny Hayes’ corner which Matthews somehow fumbled over the line.

Miovski ought to have given his side some breathing space in first-half stoppage time when the 17-goal Macedonian got on the end of another inviting delivery from Hayes.

Aberdeen captain Graeme Shinnie (second right) approaches the referee along with Jonny Hayes after Miovski’s tumble. Shinnie would be sent off in second half stoppage time. Image: Paul Devlin/SNS

Aberdeen failed to create a single clear-cut opening after the break, however, and they were relieved to see Saints’ Swedish midfielder Merker Hallberg spurn two eminently scorable opportunities late on.

Graeme Shinnie became the second player ordered off during stoppage time. Booked earlier for dissent, he received a second yellow for bringing down Drey Wright.

There was another escape at the death for the Dons when Roos touched a Liam Gordon header on to the crossbar and Liam Scales hoofed the rebound to safety.

St Johnstone (3-4-1-2): Matthews 5, McGowan 6, Gordon 6, Considine 4, Wright 6, Phillips 5 (Bair 90, 2), Hallberg 5, Montgomery 6, Wotherspoon 5 (Murphy 71, 4), Rudden 5 (Carey 65, 4), May 6.

Subs not used: Sinclair, Brown, Gallacher, Mitchell, Moreland, Mylchreest.

Booked: McGowan, Rudden, Carey.

Sent off: Considine.