The first half was relatively decent, with at least a few moments of solid (if cautious) football. At their best the Dons were able to combine possession with aggressive direct play. Aluko continued his inspired play, drawing fouls and creating several chances.
The matched seemed to open up a wee bit in the second half, and tempers flared after Hartley's admittedly reckless challenge in the 62'. I thought the yellow was certainly deserved, but worried that the Dons lost focus afterwards. Certainly we seemed to teeter on the edge, barely able to avoid the howler concession that characterized the Dons' defense last season. Howard was certainly forced to work more than would be desired.
McGhee seemed to sense that his side was vulnerable and brought in both Scott Vernon and Darren Mackie a few minutes later. I would have preferred to see Magennis stay on as I thought he'd had a fair bit of positive play, but it's great to have the depth to bring on two who could have started the match.
Finally, in the final five minutes, Aluko galloped down the left side and delivered a sparkling cross into the box, low and hard, Mackie beat two defenders to the ball, and got enough of the ball to slot it home. While Aberdeen have to feel fortunate to leave it so late and yes still capture the points, this was a well-earned result.
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Most encouraging: getting Mackie on the board early, and his potential relationship with Aluko.
Least encouraging: ten minutes of dreadful defending ~60'-70'. Dons were thisclose to a horrid gaff in their own box, and at that point in the match there would have been no comeback.
Apology: I have been hard on McGhee but I was nothing but pleased with the Dons boss in this match. The starting lineup was justifiable, and when McGhee sensed that the match might be slipping away, instead of making a defensive sub, he put in both Vernon and Mackie seeking to turn the match back against Saints.
Thing of beauty: the current SPL Table
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