UNITED 0 ABERDEEN 2

United lost their unbeaten home record as Aberdeen left with the points thanks to an Adam Rooney double in the first half. It was a game which promised so much but in the end failed to deliver, especially for those in tangerine whose side never simply never got going.

By Ally Stewart

The visitors were first to threaten after three minutes when Niall McGinn tried a speculative effort from 20 yards which spun off Paul Paton and, with Rado Cierzniak rooted, hit the top of the bar on the way out for a corner. United had some spells of possession without really creating much and then with 18 minutes gone they fell behind. Johnny Hayes floated in a free kick which David Goodwillie met with his head eight yards out. It looked a routine save for Cierzniak but he let the ball bounce off his chest into the path of Adam Rooney who couldn't miss from the rebound. United seemed rattled but there was a glorious chance to restore parity after 24 minutes when Armstrong cleverly lifted the ball over the Aberdeen defence to send Chris Erskine clean through. Dons keeper Scott Brown reacted sharply however and raced out to block his right foot shot. Things turned worse for United after John Souttar initially gave the ball away in midfield. The visitors worked the ball to Pawlett who played in Rooney and he was able to slot home another simple chance from close range. It was almost game over after only 37 minutes when a loose ball fell to McGinn on the right side of the United box and he rattled a stinging drive off the inside of the post and behind for a goal kick.

 After the break it became increasingly scrappy as the visitors were content with hitting United on the break as they tried to force a way back into the game. Sadly for United they were restricted to few attempts and arguably their best chance fell to Dow in 65 minutes but he possibly should have put his laces through the ball rather than passing towards goal after a corner was half cleared. Pawlett and Goodwillie came close to make United's day worse but in the end the scoreline was probably a fair reflection on play.

 United – Cierzniak, Dillon (Morris 46), Souttar, Fojut, Townsend, Paton, Rankin (Mackay-Steven 61), Armstrong, Dow (Connolly 71), Erskine, Ciftci. Subs not used – Szromnik, Butcher, Telfer, Spittal.

 Aberdeen – Brown, Logan, Considine, Taylor, Reynolds, Rooney (Shankland 88), McGinn (Monakana 90), Hayes, Pawlett (Smith 89), Goodwillie, Jack. Subs not used – Langfield, Murray, McKenna, Gibbons.

 Attendance - 11,196 

Referee – Crawford Allan