Aberdeen 0 Motherwell 0: Blunt truth for Brown

Sports Writer

Sunday 10 March 2013

THE fact that Aberdeen's last home win over Motherwell came in November 2008, in Jimmy Calderwood's 200th game in charge, was probably not a positive portent for home hopes ahead of this encounter.

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Robert Mitchell

Due largely to Aberdeen's lack of composure in forward areas, that poor run continued, although the visitors deserved their share of the credit as they continued their relentless push towards a second-placed SPL finish and the accompanying Europa League berth, thanks to an obdurate defensive performance.

For Motherwell, the point gained more or less guaranteed a top-six place come the league's split, but Craig Brown and his men will rue their inability to turn their domination into a victory that would have made their own ambitions of ending up in the higher reaches of the table seem more viable. By failing to put away any of their 17 efforts on goal, Aberdeen remain a point, and three places, off the top six, with only three games remaining before the split. Any hope they have of qualifying to play European football next season, from a campaign that could be the veteran Brown's last in the game, is seemingly a forlorn one.Not surprisingly, the Aberdeen manager was a frustrated figure at full-time. He said: "It has been the story of our season here. We have had six 0-0 games. We know the remedy to it but it will take until the next window to remedy it. "Our top six hopes are still alive. We have three games and if we get nine points we will be well in the top six. The team is playing well enough if we could just find some goals."But we played very well against a Motherwell side who are the second best in the country. I don't want sympathy and I am proud of the way we have played this season." Aberdeen's early urgency was soon apparent and coupled with a direct approach, that suited the poor Pittodrie surface, they stifled any fluency developing in the visitors' play.Jonny Hayes' corner was met powerfully by the head of Scott Vernon but he was unable to find any accuracy in his effort.With Motherwell out-muscled in midfield, Aberdeen continued to push for the opener and Hayes was again prominent when his near-post corner picked out Vernon once more, only for Darren Randolph to smother his header at source.Finally, with 31 minutes gone, Motherwell forced Jamie Langfield into action but he dealt comfortably with Tom Hateley's 25-yard free-kick.Goalkeepers remained on top after the break and the home side's top scorer Niall McGinn was twice foiled by Randolph, while Langfield denied the visitors' Nicky Law, also on two occasions.Aberdeen continued to huff and puff but it was no real surprise that the game petered out in a stalemate – a result that left Motherwell manager Stuart McCall feeling far from downcast.He said: "It was a gritty performance and to be honest the most we deserved was probably a point. Aberdeen can feel aggrieved they didn't win the game but we had our chances on the break."This is the type of game we may look back on at the end of the season and see it's true worth. It also all but cements our top- six status."

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Aberdeen 0 Motherwell 0: Blunt truth for Brown

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