Dundee United 1 Aberdeen 1: Honours even as opponents drive each other forward

Monday 22 October 2012

TWO accidents delayed Aberdeen's journeys to and from Dundee, but in between they kept their show on the road.

Aberdeen manager Craig Brown and his squad arrive late at Tannadice. Picture: Craig Watson/SNS

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Neil White

They have not been beaten since the opening day of the season and look far better now than in that first week.

After news of a serious incident on the A90, the team bus had left Pittodrie as soon as the players arrived. Even still, kick-off had to be delayed by 15 minutes and some visiting fans were still arriving well into the first half.

"We had a police escort for some of the way. Without them we would have been a lot later," said defender Chris Clark."It was not the normal build-up, there was a bit of a rush to get ready. I don't think it really affected us or the way we went about the game."There is room for debate on the last point. Dundee United started faster and scored first – Johnny Russell's shot was parried by goalkeeper Jamie Langfield and John Rankin fired home on 22 minutes – although the attraction of this match was that it soon became wide open and, in the second half especially, it was a proper slugfest. Both Radoslaw Cierzniak and Langfield, the United and Aberdeen goalkeepers, had fine games.Aberdeen started the second period more strongly – Niall McGinn's shot was parried for a corner by Cierzniak, before their penalty claim for United striker Willo Flood apparently handling in the area was turned down. But after 53 minutes McGinn levelled the scores – tapping in at the back post after Russell Anderson had flicked on Ryan Fraser's outswinging corner – to take the visitors' unbeaten run to 11 games. McGinn scored in Northern Ireland's draw in Oporto last week, a fact referenced by the Aberdeen fans' latest song: "He plays on the left, he plays on the right. Niall McGinn makes Ronaldo look s***e.""He's so humble, you would never guess he was an international player," added Craig Brown, the Aberdeen manager, of the forward.Brown's Dundee United counterpart, Peter Houston, called the result "a start" on his side's road to redemption after being thrashed 4-0 by Inverness Caledonian Thistle on September 29. "It was important to stop the rot. We were very positive and created lots," he added. oneminutepundit22' 1-0 John Rankin starts and finishes the move that opens the scoring. His pass releases Johnny Russell, whose shot is parried by Jamie Langfield. Rankin is the quickest to the rebound.53' 1-1 Russell Anderson flicks on a Ryan Fraser corner toward the back post. Niall McGinn turns it in from point-blank range.56' Langfield produces the save of the day from Keith Watson.

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Dundee United 1 Aberdeen 1: Honours even as opponents drive each other forward

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